Sensei's Confession
by Ren-sama23
Summary: Byakuya is a stern university professor who dislikes love confessions, at least until he noticed his orange-haired student's feelings and started wanting the boy to confess to him. What will he do when his former attitude towards confession clashed with his attitude towards it now?
1. Chapter 1

**Ren-sama's Note:**

**YAOI. ByaIchi. If you don't like the genre, please just click the 'back' button. But please still give it a chance? This story is only short. I hope you enjoy it! ˆoˆ**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. This story is inspired by "Sensei no Kokuhaku," a one-shot manga.**

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**Chapter 1**

He sighed, his fore and middle finger gently massaging his temples. It was just morning and he was already having a headache. His silky raven hair shone in deep contrast with his pale creamy skin and his steel gray eyes looked weary though still gorgeous despite the exhaustion. The bright morning sun shone inside the well-lit room, his office in the Music Department, as if coaxing him to stop brooding around and start his classes.

It was just the first month of class and he already felt too irritated with his university students. After all, _they always acted like fucking high school lovesick girls. __**And it's what's annoying the hell out of him. **_He, Byakuya Kuchiki, was a University Professor, not a fucking host! He glanced darkly at the packages of gifts and love letters on the couch. Everyday he would find many of them in front of his office or even in front of his house. _How the hell did they even know where he lived anyway?_

He pushed his feet and stood up from his swivel chair with god-knows-how-much determination and walked out of his office quietly. The door shut behind him with nothing but a quiet click. Even when he's annoyed or irritated, or happy which was rare, his outward expression didn't change. He always wore the same mask for every emotion that washed him, namely, the mask of cold indifference and handsome aloofness. It was hard for others to do, really, but for him it was just the same as breathing. _It was natural. _He walked with poise and grace along the corridors of the Music Building, earning him more than flirty, lustful glances and drooling gawks from both genders. After all, he was very handsomely masculine but still feminine enough to receive the guys' attention too. _And it was annoying. _

He turned into a corner, where the stairs would be and was not startled at all when he saw three girls waiting for him. _It was like an everyday thing, ambushing him some corner until he heard what they needed to say. _The one in front of him had blonde colored hair, with big busts, not that he even glanced at it. _He was so __**not **__interested in those kinds of things, thank you very much._

"S-Sensei… Uh, I… I'm Harribel…" The girl stuttered and looked behind her for silent help. He could see in her eyes that she was panicking. The two other girls nodded and the girl in front held out a letter, which he only stared at with cold eyes. "I like you… Sensei…"

His expression remained cold, however, if not entirely colder. The girls waited in dread for him to say something, anything. And when he did speak, his voice calm and cool like always and betraying nothing of the raging emotions inside him, all hope was gone in the girls' eyes in a blink of an eye. "Why did you enroll here again? Surely not for the sake of doing some petty confession to your professor, right? I suggest that instead of going all the way to improve your love lives, which I doubt will happen any time soon, you should instead focus more on your studies and make sure that you don't fail in any of your subjects."

He walked away unconcernedly even when he heard soft sobs coming from behind her. He was so used to hear their cries that it didn't bother him anymore. He was so used to their confessions that he didn't think they were even serious when they said they love him. It all seemed and felt so superficial. _They didn't love him for who he was, they loved him for his looks. They were such superficial people. _And that was making his irritation escalate even more.

He opened the door of the classroom and silence immediately fell inside it before it broke out to not-so silent giggling and too obvious staring from his students. He sighed. _So much for Class A students…_

Unlike other universities, the students in this school didn't change rooms and only the teachers were the ones who changed rooms. _It was like elementary, really. _He was this class's homeroom teacher and taught Stringed Instruments, all types, to his class. He specialized in the violin, _though he had never played for them once_. They were talented students who didn't need to be taught about their own forte and he could be proud to be their teacher, if only they didn't have the habit of lustfully starting at him or drooling at him while in class.

He spoke with cool voice as he started checking attendance. Every name he called would give him a silent giggle in return and he knew they were present even before they raised their hand to confirm it. _It was annoying. _"Kuroi, Kurosaki…" He glanced at his class when he heard nothing. "Kurosaki? Absent?"

He saw a redhead, _Abarai was it?, _nudged the student beside him who sat beside the window. The guy looked like he wasn't listening the entire time Byakuya was talking and he hated it just as much as when the students were giving him all their time in the world. The boy looked confused for a while before he met Byakuya's eyes. Byakuya saw beautiful brown eyes widened for a while before the blush crept on the boy's face. He immediately stood up and apologized. "I'm s-sorry, Sensei… I wasn't listening…"

Byakuya felt his eyebrow twitched and he knew that the guy noticed it for he blushed even deeper. _It was kind of amusing, really, if only he weren't so pissed off right now. _"Ichigo Kurosaki, right?" The boy nodded in embarrassment, especially because his other classmates were already laughing quietly. "I suggest you stay in the room after class."

The boy nodded and sat down again. Byakuya started calling the others' name too but his glance would turn to the boy once in a while. He noticed how the boy was poised even though his position explicitly expressed boredom. His beautiful spiky hair sway with the slight breeze coming from outside and slightly tanned skin looked so soft and beautiful. His brown eyes evoked emotions that the professor sometimes saw in other students but theirs were not charming as this one. Byakuya had never paid any attention to him much because the said student was the quiet type and did not interact much with his other classmates except his friends. The boy never really participated in his class and he had never heard his voice much except saying that he was 'present'. The boy, Ichigo, was looking outside once more and paying no attention to him at all. _So irritating! _

He finished checking their attendance and he pulled out sheets of paper from an envelope inside his bag. There were gasps and nervous eyes everywhere and there were excited ones. _Their exam was being returned. _He eyed them all coldly, his personal expression of satisfaction towards their performance, before he handed out their papers. It was a two-part exam, one was written and the other one was performed just a week ago. At the back of the paper was their score in the second, and far more difficult than the first, exam. He called them with satisfaction until his eyes darted towards the last three papers in his hand which he and the students knew were students who failed. His eyes twitched when he read the name.

"Abarai, Madarame, Kurosaki." He voiced the last name with an annoyed twitch of eyebrow. "I believe there is another reason for you to stay after class, Kurosaki. The three students that I called will remain in the classroom after class."

He heard Renji groaned in defeat and Ichigo chuckled as he tried to console the redhead.

The class moved on with him teaching them the basic of playing violin. Not that he was expecting them to really learn how to play it. He was just teaching it for the sake knowledge and not for the sake of really learning the instrument personally. He loved the violin but he was not the type to just express himself in his class using it. And he wasn't about to change that now. No one, not even the Chairman of the school, would be able to make him play if he didn't want to.

The bell signaling the end of the period rang and he went back to his office, only to find more gifts and letters outside the door. It was annoying and he simply walked inside the door without picking any of it up. He picked up the first gifts during the first and second weeks of classes and dumped it on his couch, but now he wasn't about to entertain any more annoying confessions from the students.

He closed the door behind him and locked it so no one would even dare corner him inside his office and confess, not that they would really dare even if they wanted to. He could be really scary if he was pissed off and the students knew him to be like that. They still loved themselves so they wouldn't throw themselves into the hellfire, which was his room, just to confess their petty feelings.

His class consisted of three sections in the Music Department, namely A, B, and C, but the other two were still in the afternoon so he was basically free to do anything he wanted for the entire half of the day. And he decided to have some peaceful and quiet sleep.

"_Hisana? What are you doing?"_

"_I… I'm leaving…"_

"_Bu–, Wait, why? Did I do something wrong? Did I–?"_

"_No, Byakuya-san. You're perfect, just like always."_

"…"

"_But that's the problem. You're perfect and expect me to be perfect too. You don't know how I suffer every time I fail and you give me disapproving looks. You don't know how it pains me that you don't love me the same way as I love you."_

"_I love you…"_

"_No, you don't, Byakuya. You don't love me as I am. You might say you have an interest in me but it's not love. You don't get angry or jealous and you don't think I will get jealous too. You are always so perfect and cold… You don't care about anything aside from your reputation and your honor and your dignity… I want a human for a husband, Byakuya… A human who will fight for me and love me even if the whole world condemns him…"_

"_Hisana–"_

"_I want someone who will love as I am… And I just found him, Byakuya… He might not be perfect or intelligent or even talented like you, but he has a heart… He is human… And he loves me."_

"_Hisane, please… don't leave me…"_

"_I'm sorry… I don't love you anymore…"_

He gasped as his eyes fluttered open. He gritted his teeth as he fought the sting in his eyes that threatened to flow on his cheeks any second now. _How many times did he have to hear that to actually forget her? _She didn't love him anymore. That much was clear in her voice. She annulled their marriage and married another man whom she said she had fallen for dearly. _She left him… She left him all alone…_

He stood up and went to his other two classes for the afternoon, forgetting he needed to have lunch first. His classes were fairly easy, except for the fact that he had to keep his cold glare in place to prevent anyone from approaching him. _Maybe that was the reason why he was so stiff now and refused to acknowledge any form of affection from anyone. _He knew nothing would last and no one would be able to love as he was… Now that he realized it, _she too didn't love him as he was… _She should have known he was that kind of person and yet she expected him to change for her… _And it pained him when he realized that he wasn't really loved… Everyone's feelings for him were nothing but superficiality… Their confession and their tears were nothing but a big, big farce…_

After all his classes, he returned to Class A's room and saw, to his surprise, that Ichigo was alone in the classroom.

"Where are Madarame and Abarai?" He asked as he eyed the boy with indifference.

Kurosaki never returned his gaze. He was looking down. "Renji had an emergency and had to go home immediately so he requested that I tell you. Ikkaku-san was called in for practice. There will be a concert next week and he and his band needed to practice every night from now on. So I am alone, Sensei..."

Byakuya sighed. Of course, he could do nothing about it even if he believed their stories or not. At least there was a student here. It would really anger him if he went here and found no one. "Sit." He commanded more harshly than he intended and he watched as Ichigo nervously sat in the desk at least two rows away from him.

Byakuya felt his temper rising. _The student didn't have to be so afraid of him, damn it. _"Sit nearer. I don't want to strain my voice just to lecture a single student." Byakuya voiced and was a bit surprised when Ichigo blushed but the boy still refused to meet his gaze. He stood up and sat in the desk just in front of Byakuya's table where the professor sat.

"So," he pulled out the papers which he didn't give the students earlier. "Can you explain why your score is like this? Any form of excuse?" He didn't know why Ichigo scored like that. He asked other teachers and was surprised that the boy scored second if not the highest in their class. They all said the boy was quiet but very intelligent and talented. The other teachers even told him that there might just be some mistake in the way he checked, to his annoyance. _Well it wasn't his fucking fault that the boy wanted to set his class as the last of his priorities._

"Nothing, Sensei." Ichigo's voice sounded strained, like he wanted to be anywhere else other than here and that was annoying Byakuya more. Despite his emotionless façade, he was a very temperamental person and he didn't like how the boy was acting right now.

Ichigo was fidgeting in his seat like he wanted to pee or something and Byakuya was getting distracted. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, Madarame and Abarai both have scores that if they study just a little more, they will be able to pass next time. Your score is the one that needs some form of a remedial class."

"Eh? Bu–" Ichigo instinctively looked up and met Byakuya's gaze for the first time, making Byakuya's heartbeat falter for a moment in a way he didn't understand so the professor ignored it. Steel gray eyes met charming brown ones and their gaze were locked in each other's for a while and Byakuya saw the struggling emotions inside the boy's eyes before Ichigo immediately blushed and looked away.

Byakuya's eyes widened for a moment. _He knew those eyes. _Those were like the eyes of the girls who often confessed to him and had the audacity to look at him directly though their knees were shaking. _But the emotions held in boy's eyes had deeper feelings and was more in control. It meant that the boy was trying to hold his feelings as much as he could._

Byakuya cleared his throat, a very uncool gesture on his part and he had never done it until now because he felt that it was only used by a person to make other people notice him. _To make a certain orange-haired boy notice him… _He shook his head slightly before he began to speak. "I will give a day of remedial class and I hope you will attend it."

"Ah, of course, Sensei." Ichigo smiled and met his eyes now, making Byakya's heart skip another beat for some unknown reason. No one had ever smiled at him like that except Hisana. But this boy's smile was different. It held more radiance and more–

"Ah, I need to go home now, Sensei." Byakuya snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the student's voice. He watched as Ichigo stood up and bowed before he turned around and leave, only to turn around again when he heard a stomach growl.

Byakuya watched in dread as his student turned around and looked at him in confusion before those eyes comprehended everything. He clenched his jaw when he felt himself blushing under Ichigo's scrutinizing charming eyes but refused to look away because he would feel defeated if he did that.

"Do you want to have dinner outside, Sensei?" Ichigo asked seriously and Byakuya was relieved that the boy didn't laugh at him. _That would have been too embarrassing._

Byakuya watched those brown eyes as they held the emotion that he once knew, love. _The boy clearly loved him. But if he did, why wasn't he confessing like everyone else? He was he trying to keep his feelings at bay even though it was shouting to be recognized. _Even Byakuya could see that Ichigo was struggling with his feelings, and yet the boy refused to acknowledge it.

"…ding." Byakuya blinked again. Ichigo said something and he wasn't listening… again.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Byakuya asked and the moment the words left Ichigo's lips, he wished he didn't.

"You don't have to look so serious, Sensei." Ichigo chuckled. "I was just kidding. I will never ask a professor to go out and have dinner with me."

Byakuya stood there behind the teacher's table, eyes wide and shock prevalent in his eyes. The shock was too much that he could feel his heart beating faster than ever, and it hurt. _It hurt so much… _He didn't know how those words pained him but it did, again it was something he was not anticipating and it confused him. Instead, he tried to stay calm and spoke, managing a barely steady voice. "Of course, that would be inappropriate, Kurosaki."

"Sensei, actually, I…" Ichigo began but bit his lip. "Goodbye, Sensei." Byakuya was once again surprised to see pain ran across those brown eyes but before he could check if he was right on what he saw, Ichigo already turned around and left the room without another word.

Byakuya remained rooted in his position, unable to move or comprehend what just happened. _"What, Kurosaki? What did you want to say!"_

He felt too agitated even after he went home and showered. He needed to know what Ichigo wanted to say. _He's dying to know it… _He needed to know what the boy's real feelings were so when he said them, Byakuya would be able to turn him down with finality and the boy would be able to move on. That's how it should be. He would definitely turn the boy down and preach to him about the naivety of youth.

Though he said that, there was no way to know if the boy would ever open up to him. And with that, he knew that the best thing he needed to do was to confront the boy directly.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"Chairman, you called?" Byakuya asked as he entered the door to the Chairman's office.

"Yes, actually, Kuchiki-san." The old voice of the old man with elongated white beard echoed throughout the room with much sharpness that could make any lowly coward cower in fear. "I have a news for you, though I don't know if you'll take it as a good news or a bad one."

"What is it?" Byakuya simply voiced. Unlike the other teachers, Byakuya wasn't the type to be intimidated by old men, especially this old man. He sat comfortably but still poised inside the Chairman's office and had his right leg over his left one.

"You will receive a promotion and will be transferred to Seireitei Graduate School to teach professionals." He voiced calmly. "Thus, you will not be a professor of the university but a professor of the graduate school."

Byakuya was silent for a while before he spoke. "I'll think about it, Chairman." The Chairman nodded and Byakuya stood up and bowed. He was about to leave when the Chairman called him again.

"Byakuya-kun," the Chairman called. Byakuya was surprised at first. Although the Chairman was his grandfather, he didn't think that he would be addressed by Yamamoto so casually inside the school. Byakuya turned around once more and waited by the door to hear what the old man wanted to say. Basing from his voice, the professor knew it would be personal. "I just want to know if you like someone in this school."

Byakuya looked blank for a while, unable to comprehend what the old man just said. Then his eyes widened before he immediately shook his head when he thought of charming brown eyes and orange spiky hair. _NO WAY. _"I don't like anyone in this school, literally."

Yamamoto laughed just as Byakuya shut the door behind him and walked down the corridors. _That laugh! He knew that laugh! _It meant that the old man didn't believe a single word he said. It meant that the old man believed that he was in love with some random girls who confessed to him. _How annoying!_

And now that the thought about it, it had already been four days since he last talked with Ichigo. That was Monday and it was Friday, making it a good day for remedial and confrontation because he didn't have to see the boy's sullen face tomorrow when Byakuya rejected the him.

He went inside the classroom and almost bumped into one of the girls. The girl had black spiky hair that she tried in vain to let down with some kind of gel. _Annoying. _She looked at him and immediately blushed. _Doubly annoying. _She handed out an envelope he knew contained a love letter. _Extremely annoying._

"S-Sensei…" She mumbled. Byakuya could feel all Class A's eyes on him and he could feel their nervousness. _Extremely, extremely annoying. _"P-Please… accept this…"

"Shouldn't you be studying your books and writing assignments instead of writing petty love letters and doing nothing but confessing to people everyday?" He asked, not even making his student finish. He was not a very patient man and he didn't like to let his class wait while the girl thought of something to say. He walked passed her without a double glance and he started checking out attendance without a care that he could hear her soft sobs as she went back to her seat.

When he called Ichigo, he also added, "Kurosaki, we have a remedial class later. Stay in the classroom after class." The said boy only nodded but didn't say anything.

When he finished, he waited until all eyes were looking at him. "I know you might feel humiliated. But I think that you are also humiliating me by coming up to me everyday and confessing like there was no tomorrow. I am not some petty cheap man who will say yes just because someone I don't even know confesses to me wholeheartedly. Please do not bother me with such insignificant things start and reading your books and doing your assignments instead. That way, you can help me as a teacher and not be a burden to me everyday."

He heard some soft sobs but he ignored it and started his lesson. He knew almost half of the class had already confessed their feelings to him and he wanted them to know that he didn't like it in the least. He wanted to be treated as a professor, not some boy idol or student that didn't have much anything to do. He wanted them to just piss off someone else instead. _Even Kurosaki? Would he want Kurosaki to just confess to someone else instead of him? _He stopped in the middle of explanation as he blanked out. His class looked at him in confusion but Byakuya was quick to recover. He was a Kuchiki after all. He continued his lessons as if nothing happened.

Time felt so slow to him and he wanted the class to end immediately. He didn't know why, maybe it was because today was Friday and he wanted to go home immediately. _Damn, who was he kidding? _Of course it was because he wanted to teach some remedial class with some orange-haired kid and confront him about his feelings.

"_I'm sorry… I don't love you anymore…"_

"_I was just kidding. I will never ask a professor to go out and have dinner with me."_

He woke up and raked his hair. He was in his office, sitting in his table. He sighed. For the last few years, his dream contained no one but Hisana in it. But in the last few days, it already contained two people. _It hurt… It hurt him so much inside but he didn't know why… _He didn't know what to do because he had never felt like this, not even with Hisana. It was foreign and he didn't know how to deal with it. Those two statements were blending in his mind it was creating him a self-inflicted pain that he knew was rather irrational. Ichogo was only talking about dinner. He wasn't talking about anything else. _And yet it felt like a rejection…_

He knew that the only way to know was to confront Ichigo directly and then reject him. It would definitely solve both of their problems. With that in mind, he went inside the room and felt his heart skip a beat once again when he saw that Ichigo was asleep. His orange hair was tousled and he was using his arms as pillow. He looked too peaceful and his breathe too quiet. It was only now that Byakuya realized he made Ichigo wait for at least an hour.

The sun had set long ago in the horizon and everything around them was already dark, except the room. He approached the sleeping boy with a mind to wake him up but he lost the ability to think when he went near. His hair looked so soft and Byakuya wanted to touch it. His eyes were closed and his long lashes were touching his cheeks in a very charming way. His luscious lips were moist, slightly parted, and they looked very seductive even though his face was that of innocence. And before Byakuya knew what he was doing, he was already leaning down as his lips longed for the warmth of another.

Byakuya felt it, Ichigo's soft lips against his cold ones. It was not passionate or anything, just lips seeking for comfort and warmth, and it was just for a very brief moment but Byakuya would never forget it for as long he lived. _After all, a Kuchiki stealing a kiss from a vulnerable, sleeping student was not something his pride could take in any normal circumstance_. But this was not any normal circumstance.

Ichigo stirred but he didn't wake up. He could smell the boy's soft perfume and still taste the sweet cake-like flavor of his mouth. _It was making him feel hot and silently elated…_ Slowly, Byakuya stood up straight and shook the sleeping teen. The teen mumbled something incomprehensible but didn't wake up.

"Kurosaki, I believe we are here for the remedial, not to sleep." Byakuya voiced coldly and louder than his normal voice. It was kind of amusing to just watch the boy in his sleep, really, but he was a professor and he would not tolerate any kind of favoritism.

He watched the boy slowly opened his eyes and when brown eyes met gray ones, the boy almost jumped out of his seat in surprise. Byakuya wanted to smirk and arch an eyebrow but he refrained himself from doing so. Instead, he went to the teacher's table as Ichigo yawned and stretched.

The lesson went quite well, and now Byakuya had the impression the boy failed the exam on purpose. Everything Byakuya asked was answered without much thought and every question in the paper was tackled comprehensibly. The professor was really surprised. He thought he would have to grit his teeth while trying to make the poor student understand the concepts and terms but it seemed he was so far from the truth.

"Kurosaki," Byakuya called. He couldn't help but ask after all. Ichigo looked up from his paper and their eyes met for a while before the boy looked somewhere else. "Did you perhaps study after you failed the exam?"

"Ah, a bit, Sensei." The boy answered, still not making any eye contact. "I had Rukia and Orihime teach me some things…"

Byakuya thought he would feel glad that the student studied on his own but he felt he wasn't at all in any mood to be give any compliment. _He taught Kurosaki and the boy did not learn. His female classmates taught him and he learned. What did that make Byakuya as the professor? _He gritted his teeth in silent rage but his facial mask remained calm. _No, it was because Ichigo had to rely on others and not on him… _That's the reason he was angry… He could teach the boy anything and yet the boy just had to make other people teach him instead… _So annoying…_

"Sorry, Sensei." Ichigo continued. "I know you're angry and all… but I guess I should tell you… String instruments are not my forte so I kind of plunked it…" Byakuya arched an eyebrow, urging the student to continue. "My specialty is the piano… so I'm not that into stringed instruments…"

"So you lack the motivation to learn. Is that it?" Byakuya asked coldly, but the teen didn't seem bothered at all.

"Not really. I just had some kind of problem during the written exam…" Ichigo smiled sheepishly.

"Wait here." Byakuya walked outside the room and went to his office. When he came back, he was carrying a violin. He watched as his student's eyes widened. No one had seen him carrying a violin in public. Not even his students had heard him play.

"Listen to this, Kurosaki." Byakuya voiced. He wanted the teen to have at least some sort of passion towards stringed instruments even though he was specializing in the piano.

And Byakuya closed his eyes as he leaned his head to one side and brought his violin over his left shoulder. He started playing, slowly and softly. '_Ave Maria', his favorite. _He knew he wasn't following the original composition and was doing what he wanted with the piece, but it was not something like bastardizing for him. _After all, compositions were made to be broken and challenged._

_And he was not the type to just let things be as they were and let himself be caged by conventions. He didn't like conventions at all, especially in music._

He opened his eyes and was glad that he did when he saw the quiet awe and admiration in those brown eyes. They locked their gaze onto each other and Byakuya knew the reason he was playing was not merely for the boy to have passion in other instruments. _He wanted the boy to see him play… He wanted Ichigo's eyes to lock with his gaze for a longer time… He wanted to tell the boy that it was he was being given a special attention… _

The piece finished and then he started another one, '_Beethoven Virus'. _This one had a really fast tempo and he almost smirked when he saw Ichigo covered his mouth, wide-eyed and shocked, eyes filled with silent admiration of Byakuya's music and not so quiet hitch in breathing. He was not the type to brag his talent, but if he could elicit that kind of reaction from the normally shy and quiet boy, then he believed his talent was far beyond others. If he could make Ichigo gaze at him without taking his eyes off even if the boy wanted to, then Byakuya succeeded as a violinist. _And it felt so good to make Ichigo stare at him like that, like he was the only person in world worth staring at…_

It felt so good, staring into those brown eyes while he played. He could see Ichigo blushing but the boy still couldn't take his eyes off of him. _That was good. _The corner of his lips twitched into a smile. _Those eyes and those flushed cheeks were good. _

And he finished.

He could see that the boy didn't know how to react. It seemed he was far from recovering straight away so Byakuya gave him a helping hand. "As I've said, Kurosaki. All one needs is motivation or inspiration and passion. If you have both, you can pass this course. And my subject too."

He was about to say something else but he stopped when Ichigo stood up and chuckled as he clapped his hands as if the boy was a father too proud of his son's accomplishment. "That was the greatest violin performance I've ever seen and heard, Sensei!" Byakuya fought back a blush but he wasn't that successful.

"Anyway, as I've seen, you learned your lesson well today." Byakuya tried to make his voice steady even though he was still blushing. "This class is dismissed."

Ichigo smiled at him sweetly and Byakuya almost dropped the violin he was holding in shock. It was so beautiful and charming that the raven haired man couldn't help but blush even more, and he was thankful that Ichigo already looked away to pick up his bag.

"So, how about some dinner, Sensei?" Ichigo asked and Byakuya looked surprised for the second time in less than five minutes.

"Y-You're kidding, right?" He asked seriously, cursing himself for stuttering in front of his student. _A Kuchiki never stuttered!_

Ichigo chuckled again. But this time it sounded a bit hollowed to Byakuya's ears. "Of course. I see I can't joke about the same topic with you."

"Kurosaki, I–" Byakuya stopped himself, wide-eyed at his own words. The boy looked at him in confusion for a while before he smiled again and waved goodbye.

But even then, Byakuya still couldn't help but be shocked. _What would he say? _It was good that he was able to stop himself before he said something extremely forbidden and unacceptable, and ridiculous he might add. _He was supposed to be the one to make Kurosaki confess and then reject him knowing it would only be a problem for both of them! How could he just blurt out something like without thinking? _No, he wasn't really sure what he was about to say. _It wasn't like that… Of course…_

_And once again, who was he kidding..?_

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"Like I said, let me think about it for some more time." Byakuya sat comfortably in a couch in the Chairman's Office. It was quiet except for the soft music in the background.

"And like I was asking, have you found someone here that you like? I believe that's the reason why you're hesitating to accept the promotion." Yamamoto said seriously. "It has been your dream to teach professionals while also learning from them. But now…"

"Like I have been answering, I'm still not ready for it. And I don't have anyone. Why do you keep on going about that?" Byakuya asked irritably. _Damn it. _He was loosing his cool and he knew the Chairman would notice it.

Yamamoto sighed. "Alright then. I'll give you until the day after tomorrow to decide. If you still think you don't want to, then I'll give the position to someone else who's willing to be promoted."

Byakuya simply nodded before he walked out of the office without any word. It wasn't that he didn't want to accept the offer. It's just that he felt there was something he would miss if he immediately grabbed the opportunity. He wanted something to happen first before he decides. He walked along the corridors and turn some corners and walked some more. _He wanted something… but he didn't know what it was. He didn't know what it was… until now._

"You don't have to be shy about it." Byakuya paused when he heard a female voice in the corner where he would turn to. He didn't know why he stopped. It's not as if he wanted to eavesdrop on the conversation. _But what if it was another ambush confession? _He knew he was too annoyed right now to even–

"Like I said, there's nothing to say." Byakuya was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the voice. _Kurosaki… _The voice was serious. Byakuya initially thought that the boy was being bullied but then he realized that rescuing him would tarnish the professor's reputation as being coldhearted and uncaring type of guy.

"You don't have to hide it, Ichigo. We know you like him." Byakuya froze. First, they called him by the first name and the boy didn't seem to mind it. And second, _Ichigo liked someone… _As much as he wanted to just leave or even pass them, his feet wouldn't move. He wanted to know who the person Ichigo liked was. _Wasn't it Byakuya? Well, at least that's what he thought…_

"Yeah, we can help you confess to him! We know you like Kuchiki-sensei for a long time now!"

Byakuya felt his heart skip a beat and he fought back a blush. _Ichigo liked him? _That was so–

"Stop it." Ichigo's voice sounded serious. "That's disgusting. Don't pair me with just anyone you like. I'm not like those stupid females who are falling head over heels with Sensei. That's just too gross and–"

Byakuya didn't hear what the boy said anymore as he started retracing his steps back to the Chairman's office, to rattled and shocked to even think of his composure.

"_That's disgusting." _It echoed in his ears. Byakuya felt like he was choking and he found that he couldn't breathe. He was suffocating. His whole body felt hot and his eyes stung so much. _And his heart… his heart…_

He opened the door and immediately shut it from behind him. Yamamoto must have saw his face and asked. "What happened?" The voice was filled with worry that Byakuya knew his feelings were showing on his face. _He couldn't stop it…_

"_Don't pair me with **just anyone**…"_

He never realized it… He never understood his feelings until now…_**He was the one falling for the boy…**_and not the other way around… _And it hurt so much…_ It hurt so much to be so thoroughly rejected…_ It felt like his whole body was crumbling into pieces and he couldn't keep himself whole… _He sat behind the door, not bothering to look too formal. He could feel his whole body trembling and he knew he was silently sobbing for he could feel something hot flowing on his cheeks. He gritted his teeth. He had never felt so weak and had never ever cried in front of anyone. _The thought of crying in front of anybody sounded so preposterous for him… But now… He wanted someone, just anyone, to hold him and prevent him from breaking… _He didn't even realize someone was holding him until the old man spoke beside him.

"You know you're blocking the entrance to my office." The old man said, but Byakuya knew that was his way of consoling. It meant that he should stop crying. The firm hand on his trembling shoulder was enough of a support for him not to utterly shatter. _He wasn't expecting it to be so painful… _

"Now you know how those students felt when you shatter their young hearts every time you reject them and say something totally harsh." The old man spoke again and Byakuya let him. He let him say what he wanted. _It was true anyway… He couldn't deny it…_

He didn't know how much he cried or how much time had passed. He continued crying silently on his grandfather's shoulder until he felt so weak and exhausted.

"And now you won't even be able to teach." Yamamoto sighed. "Sit on the couch, Byakuya-kun."

Byakuya had never felt his eyes so heavy and his face so exhausted before. The old man took a look at him even though he agreed only reluctantly. Yamamoto had to fight back a chuckle at his grandson's face. It was a total mess even though he still looked gorgeous.

"Grandfather," Byakuya voiced quietly. He had never ever called Yamamoto grandfather before, only Chairman or old man. "I accept the proposal."

.

.tbc.

.

**Ren-sama's Note:**

**Poor Byakuya… But please don't kill me, Byakuya Fans! I'll make everything a lot better next chapter! (I hope.) Please no flames! I don't mind criticism but please make it a positive criticism. (I mean please point out the things that you might not like in a gentle manner.) **

**I know it's short and everything, but hell, it was supposed to be only a one-shot fan fiction! **

**Now please review! ˆoˆ**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ren-sama's Note:**

**Wow, thank you, really, for the awesome reviews! I was blushing and chuckling while reading your comments. And yes, I love Byakuya! (But I love Ichigo too of course.) **

**This is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it!**

**.**

**.**

**Chapter 2**

He had never loved or liked anyone except this one person. This person, the coldest and most stoic person alive blessed with a tongue sharper than a sword. This person that he knew would never reciprocate his feelings nor even look at him in any special way. This person with raven hair so silky and long, with steel gray eyes so cool and calm, with pale, creamy skin and beauty that knew no boundary… He was tall and lean, masculine and yet feminine, handsome and gorgeous. _This was the person that he loved…_ This person who was currently lecturing about Stringed Instruments which he had no interest in.

He closed his eyes as he listened to his professor's cool voice as he spoke. It sounded so good in his ear that he wanted nothing but to hear this voice constantly. The sensation was making his insides tingly with warmth and excitement. _He was actually hearing it constantly in his dreams… _He looked outside and sighed. _If only Byakuya Kuchiki was the type to entertain the people who confessed to him, then he too would have confessed… _But the man was too cold and cruel that he could see his fellow students – females and other males – crying and grieving over a heartbreak. And every time he saw those scenes before him and hear those harsh words from his professor's luscious lips, he knew he only needed to remember one thing. _He must never confess._

He knew Byakuya was the type of person who believed that those who confessed to him never really knew him or had no real interest in knowing. The stoic thought everyone only saw him for his superficial beauty. _He, Ichigo Kurosaki, was like that too before he had known the teacher…_

He first saw the raven during the first day of class. _And he fell in love at first sight… _But then he saw how cruel and cold that teacher was. He thought he could just stop his emotions, but it was to no avail. _He still loved Byakuya even if he was harsh and cold… He still loved the teacher even if he always wore a mask… _One day, he wanted to take that mask off so he could finally see who the man behind the mask was… But those were just his dreams of course…

He immediately looked on his other side when he received a quite painful nudge on his side. Renji looked like he wanted to say something. He looked at the redhead in confusion until he saw that almost everyone was looking at him. _That wasn't a good sign…_

And then he saw steel gray eyes glaring at him coldly. He immediately deduced he was called and he immediately stood up, "I'm s-sorry, Sensei… I wasn't listening…" _Damn, he was stuttering in front of Byakuya again! _He could feel his embarrassment grow as he started to blush.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, right?" He nodded in embarrassment, especially because his other classmates were already laughing quietly. "I suggest you stay in the room after class." He nodded and before sat down again. _How could he humiliate himself in front of Byakuya of all people!? Was he the most idiotic student ever alive? But other than that, he would get to stay inside the classroom with Byakuya! _That was what some people called silver lining, though he wasn't sure if it would really become a silver lining if that sharp tongue of his teacher was to reach his ears, figuratively.

He wanted to forget everything and also release some stress; he settled in looking outside again. After a while, he heard some groans and some giggles. He knew their exam was being returned today and he already knew he failed. He sighed, remembering what caused that.

He was supposed to be having an exam, but then Byakuya would do a stroll inside their classroom to check on his students, if they were ever cheating or anything like that. And every time he would pass by Ichigo, the boy would inhale his intoxicating perfumed scent and he could feel himself floating. He couldn't even concentrate on the exam because Byakuya kept passing by and Ichigo could feel his mind slipping from his head and turning into mush every time the teacher would get near.

He sighed again.

"Abarai, Madarame, Kurosaki." Ichigo jolted. He looked up just in time to see the twitch in his teacher's normally emotionless face. _That _was not comforting at all. "I believe there is another reason for you to stay after class, Kurosaki. The three students that I called will remain in the classroom after class."

He heard Renji groaned in defeat and Ichigo chuckled as he tried to console the redhead. _It's okay, he guessed. At least he wouldn't be alone inside the classroom later._

The class moved on and Byakuya lectured about the basics of violin. The whole campus knew that Byakuya played violin when he was still a bachelor, but no one had ever heard him played now. _No one... _Ichigo thought that maybe because the raven was the type of person to play only for the person he loved. And it was rumored that his wife had left him for another man… _That was awful… _Maybe that was the reason why the professor had a cynical view about love. _Maybe that's the reason why Byakuya refused to ever believe that his students loved him… _Ichigo didn't know if he would ever understand the professor's heart. But at least he knew one thing… _Byakuya still had feelings for his wife… _

He remembered going inside the office one time to deliver their class reports. The teacher was sleeping, but it wasn't beautiful to look at. _Byakuya looked so pained… _His jaw was clenched and his handsome face was twisted into an anguished expression. _Ichigo couldn't look at him… _He left the stack of papers beside the desk and was surprised when he heard a name leave Byakuya's lips. _Hisana… _He sounded pleading, agonized, and desperate. _Ichigo didn't know what to do… _Of course it kind hurt him to hear the person he loved utter the name of someone in _his_ sleep. But that didn't stop him from worrying. He shyly touched his teacher's silky raven hair to sooth him, if not entirely calm him down. He knew it was suicidal for him to do that, but it was all he could do to at least ease Byakuya's pain. He brushed his hands on the teacher's hair until Byakuya looked calm enough. He bit his lower lip as he left, leaving the raven in his dreams. _It hurt, knowing that Ichigo had no chance whatsoever on the stoic teacher…_

Now, he wondered if he would ever hear his teacher play the violin, even if it's not for him. He wished Byakuya would finally get over his feelings for his wife and find someone to really love him unconditionally, one who would never get tired of his stoicism and his unwavering pride. He would be happy if Byakuya ever found someone like that, because finally, finally, Byakuya would be able to play the violin again. _He just wanted to hear Byakuya play it…_

The whole day moved on and he knew that dread was spreading all over him and his friends as they waited for the sun to set. It was the third period in the afternoon when Renji received a call that his little brother was sick and had to be taken to the hospital. Of course, Renji immediately left the classroom with his bag and didn't even finish the class. _Now only he and Ikkaku were the ones to receive Byakuya's wrath._

"Is Madarame-san here?" A voice called from the door just as the class ended. Ikkaku talked to the guy for some minutes while looking at Ichigo in concern once in a while. After they talked, he walked over to Ichigo and told him that they needed to practice for the upcoming concert next week so he couldn't make it later. Ikkaku specialized in the keyboard but he also played electric guitar once in a while.

Ichigo sighed. "It's okay, Ikkaku-san. I'll just explain everything to sensei later."

"Thanks, Ichi." Ikkaku patted him on the shoulder quite heavily before dashing out of the room, followed by the guy he talked to earlier.

Ichigo stayed in the classroom and saw how most of his female classmates looked like they wanted to exchange places with him. They all looked really disappointed that they passed the exam. And from the expressions that they had when they left the classroom, he bet they'd try to fail it next time. _Well, Ichigo wasn't someone so obsessed that he wanted to stay with an angry Byakuya inside a classroom alone. He'd exchange with them if possible. _He loved Byakuya, but he was not some mindless lovesick student who would want to stay in the classroom with the professor no matter how angry Byakuya was, just for the sake of seeing how gorgeous he was. _He had more dignity, or pride perhaps, than that…_

He stayed in his seat for a while, thinking of everything – his studies, piano, his future, and Byakuya – not that he thought Byakuya would be part of his future. _He would be too naïve to dream of sharing his whole life with his professor. _Someday, when he was not so in love with the teacher anymore, maybe he would find the right person for him… _During that time, maybe he could finally face Byakuya with more pride… without blushing and everything. _His musings were interrupted when the door opened. He was too surprised that he knew he would blush if he ever met Byakuya's cold gaze.

"Where are Madarame and Abarai?" Byakuya asked him with that cool voice that made his whole body shiver in excitement. The teacher walked quite coolly towards the teacher table.

Ichigo gritted his teeth lightly. _Must not blush, must not blush, must not blush… _He repeated the words like a mantra before he answered. "Renji had an emergency and had to go home immediately so he requested that I tell you. Ikkaku-san was called in for practice. There will be a concert next week and he and his band needed to practice every night from now on. So I am alone, Sensei..." _Was it just him or did the last sentence really sounded quite creepy?_

He sat some chairs away from Byakuya because he thought he would collapse if he was too close. But the teacher was really too indifferent that he even asked Ichigo to sit closer, not that the orange-head had any complaint.

"So, can you explain why your score is like this? Any form of excuse?" Byakuya asked him and he felt his whole body blushing, not just his face. _How could Byakuya ask that question when it was his fault that Ichigo failed? _Of course he couldn't just say 'Sensei, it's because you're too damn hot and you smelled so good so I was too distracted during the exam.' _DAMN! _He'd die before he ever talks about it to anyone!

"Nothing, Sensei." He answered instead. _Damn, damn, damn… _Not that he didn't want to spend some alone time with Byakuya, but this kind of alone time was not the type of alone time he wanted! He wanted to go home!

He was caught off-guard when Byakuya suddenly said that he would be having some kind of remedial and he immediately looked up and met those gray eyes. It felt like he was being sucked in. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster and every beat rang loud in his ears. _Damn, he was so nervous… _He wondered if Byakuya could hear it too, his heartbeat that is.

It was those captivating eyes that drew him towards the teacher. It was that gorgeous face and that stony expression that made him want the teacher… _He loved Byakuya so much, but he knew he had to control himself lest he wanted to be treated like one of those female students…_

He knew he was beginning to blush and he immediately looked away. _Damn, couldn't he at least hold his cool in front of Byakuya? Even for just a second? No? Okay, fine._

After a while, Byakuya cleared his throat. "I will give a day of remedial class and I hope you will attend it."

"Ah, of course, Sensei." Ichigo couldn't help but smile. _That clearing of throat was so unlike Byakuya that he couldn't believe he heard it. _And it made Ichigo feel that Byakuya was still human like the rest of them, not some kind of god that fell on earth to be revered by everyone. And with that, he felt some confidence and met those eyes, heart skipping a beat. And yet he knew he had no reason to stay inside the classroom anymore. _It would be good if he leaves now. _"Ah, I need to go home now, Sensei."

Ichigo stood up and bowed before he turned around and leave, only to turn around again when he heard a stomach growled. _And he knew it wasn't his. _He saw Byakuya's face, tensed and filled with dread, and he wanted to smile. _This day was so full of unByakuya-like attitudes._

He knew Byakuya was embarrassed. He could see it from the way he blushed. But his teacher refused to look away. Ichigo knew that for the raven it meant admitting defeat if he ever looked away. _And the teen was fine with that._

"Do you want to have dinner outside, Sensei?" Ichigo asked seriously before his mind could even process the words. He was surprised at his own boldness but he knew he meant it. He was a little worried that Byakuya might already be hungry, _and it was all because of him… _But then he saw how Byakuya tensed, and he immediately knew it was not good to say things like that to the teacher. _He didn't want Byakuya to hate him… He would never confess… ever… not to anyone, not to Byakuya…_

"You don't have to look so serious, Sensei." He chuckled. "I was just kidding. I will never ask a professor to go out and have dinner with me." Though he said those words, he really meant what he said earlier. He really wanted to have dinner with Byakuya and yet he had to swallow his proposal just to keep his pride and his heart intact. He couldn't take any form of rejection from Byakuya. _So before he was rejected, he would be the one to pull away…_

"Of course, that would be inappropriate, Kurosaki." That was the reply he expected. _But it still hurt. _He was still indirectly rejected. He wanted to just punch his professor on the face just to make him have at least a little tact. It was already hard for the students who liked him to actually make him like them too, and yet he was making it more difficult with his bastardly attitude. _But Ichigo still loved him so much despite that… Even that attitude, he loved that… It's the attitude that said he's Byakuya and not just any other ordinary handsome professor…_

"Sensei, actually, I…" Ichigo began but bit his lip. He didn't want to tell the teacher that he was actually serious about the dinner. _He didn't want to be rejected directly…_ "Goodbye, Sensei." He said before he turned around and left, leaving the raven alone in the room. He wanted to wait for him, really. But he knew the teacher might not appreciate it. _He didn't want Byakuya to hate him… _

He continued walking until he reached his house. His uncle Kenpachi, his only living relative, was already home and he greeted the man as he went home. His uncle asked what happened and he told him. His uncle was the only one who knew he had someone special, a guy in fact, but not even he knew who the guy was. Kenpachi laughed when Ichigo retold about the dinner-incident thing, calling him pussy and everything. Ichigo wanted to punch him but he still appreciated his uncle. He didn't want pity. His uncle knew how to calm him down when he was about to cry and break in his arms, and also knew just how to make him fight. _It felt refreshing…_

The whole week passed by quickly and Ichigo still waited about the remedial. It was already Friday and yet Byakuya had never mentioned anything. He was looking outside the window when he heard the door open. He knew his classmate Tatsuki was about to confess today. He watched in silence as she was thoroughly rejected without a second thought. _And that's what he feared… rejection…_

"Kurosaki, we have a remedial class later. Stay in the classroom after class." Byakuya said when he was called during attendance. He nodded.

Ichigo's eyes were outside when he heard Byakuya's words. "I know you might feel humiliated. But I think that you are humiliating me by coming up to me everyday and confessing like there was no tomorrow. I am not some petty cheap man who will say yes just because someone I don't even know confesses to me wholeheartedly. Please do not bother me with such insignificant things start reading your books instead. That way, you can help me as a teacher and not be a burden to me everyday."

_And his words hurt… _Ichigo saw some of his classmates cried and he wanted to do that too. He was not the type to confess but he still loved the man. _And Byakuya felt that that was a burden to him… _He wanted to cry, just like his classmates. But he knew he couldn't. No one really knew he loved Byakuya… _He didn't want it in any other way…_

Afterwards, Ichigo actually felt more excited than when Byakuya first told him to stay after class. Now he knew Byakuya was not the type to insult him or anything just because he failed an exam. The raven was a man of dignity, someone who wanted nothing for his students than to learn, and obtain their own knowledge even. He wanted to learn many things from Byakuya, but he knew the raven was not the type to spoon-feed a student with information and so he asked his friends Rukia and Orihime to help him study. _Not that that was actually needed… _

The sun had set and Ichigo thought Byakuya had forgotten about the remedial class. He wanted to just go home and sleep and he was about to go out of the classroom when sudden thoughts hit him. _What if he was just having some meeting or if he was just stranded? Or something similar to that? What if he gets here and I wasn't here? _

He knew he didn't want Byakuya to go to the room and find no one. _He loved Byakuya. _He would never want Byakuya to appear like a fool or to be treated as one, especially by him. He didn't even want to think how the raven would feel when he found out that his student actually ditched him in the supposed remedial class.

And before he knew it, he was back to his seat and snoring quietly.

_He felt cold but soft lips upon his own. It smelled sweet and it surely tasted good. His parted lips trembled slightly at the contact and he felt his whole body warm up. He liked it… He wished it was Byakuya's lips… And yet he knew it was nothing but a dream… A dream that he could call the manifestations of his desires, as what Freud said. But it was kind of addicting that he wanted more of it…_

"_Kurosaki, I believe we are here for the remedial, not to sleep." _Ichigo stirred. He was so sure that cool voice was Byakuya's. But how come it sounded so real. He opened his eyes and almost jumped out of his seat when he saw gray eyes so close to his own. His heart actually skipped some beats and now he knew too much love could really kill someone. He immediately blushed, hiding it and pretending to stretch and yawn.

After a while, they started having some lessons and some activities which he was able to answer quickly because Byakuya wasn't that close in proximity so he was not distracting. He sighed and complimented himself for actually succeeding in doing things other than feel the raven's presence in front of him, figuratively of course.

When Byakuya asked if he actually studied after the exam, he said he did. But for some unknown reason, he saw that the raven didn't look pleased at all. Ichigo didn't know what to do for a while and then he started apologizing and explaining about his specialty and everything. He knew he was rambling but he couldn't help it. He didn't want Byakuya to get angry at him. _Only Byakuya… He couldn't take it if Byakuya ever gets angry at him…_

"Wait here." Byakuya voiced and Ichigo was a bit surprised when he left the boy alone. He initially panicked, thinking that the raven was too annoyed that he wanted some air. After a while though he was back and now he was holding a violin. _Oh my God… Is that what he thought it was..? _

He could feel his heart beating faster.

"Listen to this, Kurosaki." Ichigo looked up just in time to see Byakuya's calm expression. _So beautiful… _And then Byakuya closed his eyes and Ichigo wanted to just stare at him forever. _He was so beautiful, like an alive statue of a god. _Byakuya started playing 'Ave Maria' and Ichigo was entranced. _Byakuya was playing..! Byakuya was playing and it was just for him to see! _No word could ever explain what he felt right now, it was awe and admiration and respect and love and everything else. Byakuya was so beautiful and so talented and his music sounded so great that Ichigo wanted to cry. _And yet he knew he couldn't cry even if he wanted to. Heck, he couldn't even move…_

Byakuya was not following the composition of the piece. He was making his own music._ And it was beautiful. _Ichigo wished he could learn to step outside his comfort zone and explore more about music too… He wished he could be like Byakuya in playing, so free and uncontrolled, so poised and beautiful…

Byakuya opened his eyes and his gaze immediately fell on Ichigo, his gray eyes were soft and as captivating as always. _It was more captivating than usual. And he found himself falling deeply for the raven all over again… _Their gazes met and Ichigo found out that he couldn't take his eyes off those gray ones. He was half gaping, half in shock and he didn't know what to do. Byakuya looked so warm and lovely, so caring and free as he played his violin. _And those eyes… Those eyes were pulling him towards the older man even more that he knew he wouldn't ever be able to get out of his trance if he continued staring. _Those eyes made him feel so special and he wanted to do nothing but cry. _He wanted to cry in so much love and awe… _Byakuya was looking at him like the man felt something for him… Ichigo knew it was just because of the mood of the song but then he couldn't help but sigh. _He really, really loved this man…_

When the song changed, he was once again struck by lightning by Byakuya's change in demeanor. It was like he was playing with the notes and they were overflowing with so much life and emotion he didn't know Byakuya was capable of producing. He could only cover his mouth with his hands. Everything was just so beautiful and Byakuya looked like he was enjoying it so much. _That was enough for him… To see this side of the man he loved was enough for him. He didn't need to confess, because he would hold and treasure this moment in his memories forever and it would not be stolen from him… This would be the greatest memory he would ever store inside his mind…_

When he finished, Ichigo didn't know what to do first. Byakuya looked really gorgeous and cool that he suddenly had this unexplainable urge to hold the older man, even for just a second. But then he realized that reacting the normal way was fun too. He stood up and clapped his hand and complimented his teacher like there was really no barrier in between them, and it felt so relaxing. He saw Byakuya blushed and that was the coolest Christmas, Birthday, and New Year present he would ever receive. _He made Byakuya blush!_

Byakuya ended the lesson and Ichigo even joked about the dinner thing. This time it really was a joke. He didn't want to believe otherwise.

"Kurosaki, I–" Byakuya called behind him and he turned around, waiting for professor to continue, but the raven didn't. Ichigo looked at him in confusion. _Why did Byakuya look shocked? _Ichigo blinked but then he realized Byakuya might not want him to see that side of him anymore. He smiled and said his goodbye, not realizing that would be the first and last time he would ever have a remedial class with Byakuya or hear him play in the classroom alone.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Ichigo couldn't help but be annoyed by the harassment, as he called it, so early in the morning. He was about to go to the classroom when he was shoved by these two friends of his, namely Orihime and Rukia, onto the wall and was trying to make him spill his love life to them. He was kind of glad there weren't many students here yet.

"You don't have to be shy about it." Rukia argued. She was far too serious and he was dreading it.

"Like I said, there's nothing to say." He said. He might have admitted to himself that he loved Byakuya but not even one of his friends should know. _He didn't want anyone to know, especially Byakuya himself…_

"You don't have to hide it, Ichigo. We know you like him." Orihime said this time. _Oh my God… They knew after all… This was what he was dreading earlier… _He looked lost for a while. He couldn't deny it. _He didn't like this… He needed to get out of this situation… and now._

"Yeah, we can help you confess to him! We know you like Kuchiki-sensei for a long time now!" Rukia exclaimed, making Ichigo's eyes widen. He instinctively shoved his hand on Rukia's mouth to stop her from saying anything anymore. He looked around to see if someone saw and, when he saw that no one seemed to have heard, he pulled his hand from her mouth. _He couldn't tell them. If anyone knew, he was sure that Byakuya would know. And then he would be treated in the same way as everyone else… He didn't want to be hated. He loved Byakuya too much that he would die if ever anyone knew…_

"Stop it." His voice sounded serious. "That's disgusting. Don't pair me with just anyone you like. I'm not like those stupid females who are falling head over heels with Sensei. That's just too gross and annoying. Please stop it… Please…"

It felt so hot and suffocating. He couldn't help it. He was saying it and yet his tears were falling. He lifted a trembling hand to touch his wet cheeks. _His whole body was opposing his words… His feelings were too strong to be ignored, and he knew he just lost to these two females… _He was trembling and he knew that much was already an answer to them. He let his tears fall, already aware of the shocked expression of his friends. He didn't want them to feel guilty but they were already feeling it, judging from their expressions.

"Ichigo… we're sorry…" Rukia started, trying to wipe his tears with her handkerchief. "Look, it's Chappy Bunny! If I wipe your face with this, the tears will stop!" She tried to coax him like a child, but he just sobbed harder.

"Ichigo…" Orihime was sobbing now as well.

"I love him… I love him so much…" Ichigo sobbed in admission. "So please… don't do anything… I don't want him to hate me… Please… I don't want him to know… I love him… I love him… I love him…"

He knew Rukia wasn't able to take it anymore when he received a suffocating hug from her. He continued sobbing on her shoulder and he poured out all his emotions in that cry, everything. His fears, his one-sided feelings, his pains, his everything…

When he stopped, the bell had already rung. They walked towards their classroom knowing Byakuya would get angry and ask where they went. Rukia and Orihime decided to come up with a little story in case the raven would ask. But when they entered the door, however, Byakuya was still not inside the room. _Byakuya was never late. _Ichigo looked at his classmates with his puffy red eyes and he knew that they too didn't know where he was.

"It seems we're saved, somehow." Rukia voiced beside him and they all went to their seats quietly. Renji, who was seated beside him, kept on glancing at his face. He knew the redhead wanted to know what the hell just happened to make the quiet but energetic Ichigo cry, but Ichigo ignored his silent questions. He stared out of the window and his gaze never left the cherry blossom trees outside.

Cherry blossoms were his favorite flower. And somehow, they reminded him of Byakuya. He didn't know why though. Maybe it was because he smelled of cherry blossoms underneath his light masculine and intoxicating perfume. Or maybe it was because he was just as quiet and beautiful as the cherry blossoms that people admired so much. Or maybe it was because the raven looked feminine enough to actually be compared to the tree. Or maybe all of it.

The whole period passed but Byakuya never showed up. Ichigo wondered if something happened. His professor was not the type to miss class. _This was another unByakuya-like moment._

It was the day after that that he learned of the news. _Byakuya was leaving a week from now and he would not teach their class anymore. _He sat there staring wide-eyed at the teacher who just announced that she would be their new homeroom teacher and also the teacher for that particular subject. Her name was Rangiku Matsumoto and the guys immediately fell in love with her, or rather, her busts.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Everyone gave their happy faces as they prepared a Goodbye/Good Luck Party for Byakuya, their former home room teacher. He was less moody and less harsh than usual and everyone actually had a good time, everyone except Ichigo.

He knew he couldn't pretend to be happy knowing he might not be able to see Byakuya again. Even though they said he had a promotion for Seireitei Graduate School, the place where it was located wasn't anywhere near Rokungai, the city they were in. It was in the capital, the Soul Society. _It was far…_

He retreated in the back of the room as they celebrated, or rather, cried and sobbed while they said their goodbyes and good luck to the teacher. Ichigo promised to himself he wouldn't say goodbye. _Never… Saying goodbye meant that they might not be able to see each other again…_

He was a bit surprised when Byakuya actually approached him and patted his head. "Well, I hope to see you as a great pianist one day."

Ichigo nodded but didn't say anything. _He couldn't. _He knew his voice would crack and he might even cry in front of Byakuya. So instead of answering, he bowed down and immediately ran outside the room, not caring whether the other students realized that he actually liked the raven too. _As long as they didn't see him cry… As long as Byakuya didn't see Ichigo cry for him…_

_And he cried._

He cried as he ran to wherever his feet took him. He continued running until he found out he was already in front of his house. _And he forgot his bag… _

The next day, everyone was already talking about him. But he didn't care. Byakuya already left. Even if Byakuya hated him, he would never know. Not knowing was sometimes better than knowing… If other people could take the pain as long the truth was presented to them, Ichigo couldn't… _He'd rather live in a false security than realize he was wrong and hurting…_

_He should've just confessed to him like everyone else though… He should've just told Byakuya his feelings before he left yesterday… Now he wouldn't have any chance…_

The first subject of the day was Stringed Instruments. _And that subject was never the same for Ichigo anymore…_

**.**

**.tbc.**

**.**

**Ren-sama's Note:**

**And there it is. I hope you enjoyed it! Please don't forget to leave a comment! ˆoˆ**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ren-sama's Note:**

**Sorry if it was as long as the previous chapters. But I guess it'll do. Please enjoy! ˆoˆ**

**.**

**.**

**Chapter 3**

**.**

**~Five years later~**

_Now, there was only one person that was ever in his dreams… And that person was someone he didn't know if he would ever see again… _

Byakuya and his fellow musicians were eating lunch in the company where they worked when one of them, a flirty old man who played the cello, said that there would be piano concerto in the Soul Society's Grand Coliseum later in the evening and he wanted everyone to go.

"The young man was still in his early twenties but his talent and his looks make me drool." He said dreamily. "No wonder he's always number one."

"Shunsui, you shouldn't say things like that!" A guy with long white hair scolded.

"But Jyuushirou…" Kyouraku pouted. "The kid is cute, I tell you."

Byakuya, after two miserable years, left the graduate school and for three years now worked as a recording artist with some other musicians, namely Shunsui Krouraku, Jyuushirou Ukitake, Shuuhei Hisagi, and Kaien Shiba.

Their group was called Byakurai or White Lightning. It was because even though they were playing using classical instruments, they were using it in such a way that the music they produced was very modern. People loved them and they were pretty popular as a musical group. They had so many fans, of course with the help of their awesome physical features, and they were already roaming international in just an expanse of three years. The pianist that was having a concert was actually their rival who always kept them in second place, much to their annoyance, for two whole years now.

"Geez, Juushirou, you have some rice on your cheek." Kyouraku said as he licked the rice which made the other man blush. Hisagi kept on looking at everywhere except the two old men before them. Kaien simply laughed at their antics. People didn't really mind Kyouraku and Ukitake's relationship now, but it was a bomb to their career when it first came out in the year where they just had their debut as a group, namely three years ago. Luckily, though, people loved both of them, and all of the other Byakurai members, too much to actually change their idol.

Byakuya sighed. The two men in front of him were the official lovers in Byakurai and sometimes they were just too annoying when they let the whole world see how sweet they were to each other. They were good looking despite being older than they looked, yes, but that didn't mean that they could just make out in public places like the company cafeteria. _And sometimes it was as if they trying to make him remember everything… His feelings that were so hidden beneath his mask… He was not the type to forget… He was the type to remember everything, like he did with Hisana… at least until he fell in love for real… _It had been five years. And yet he still couldn't forget it. _It burned him from the inside and he knew he was slowly breaking… _The memories were still etched inside his mind like it happened only yesterday.

_._

He gathered his willpower just to approach the boy, not even having the chance to think why he was nervous in the first place. He didn't want the boy to forget him just too soon. If ever, _he wished the boy would never forget him at all._ He knew it was a selfish thought, but he didn't want Ichigo to act like everyone else, ready to forget him just because he would leave for some far away school.

He knew he felt something for the boy, even if he was indirectly but thoroughly rejected. He knew Ichigo was special for him… _So special that he wished he could just take Ichigo with him when he leaves… So special that he let the boy to be the first one hear him play after so long a time… _The only one who had ever heard him play after his wife annulled their marriage three years ago, and the only one to hear him play the violin except Hisana for over five years now. Yes, his and Hisana's marriage only lasted two years. They didn't have any offspring because they were either too busy to be with one another or Byakuya was not in the mood. But with Ichigo… _He could find any time just to be with the boy…_

_And yet, he knew he had to leave. The sting and pain of his shattered heart was still there. He loved Ichigo… He really did, and still does. But mending a broken heart was not something he could do while he was near the one who unconsciously broke it…_ It might not be the wisest thing to do when he could feel his loss even before he could feel the physical distance. But he didn't care. He was a selfish person, and if it would take so much distance just to bear the excruciating pain that even now ate his whole body, then it was worth the sacrifice.

He approached Ichigo while wearing his usual mask and, much to his students' surprise, let out the softest and warmest voice they ever heard.

"Well, I hope to see you as a great pianist one day." Byakuya found himself saying, but the boy only nodded, not looking at him. _And that kind of hurt… _Ichigo wouldn't even look at him… _It somehow doubled the anguishing pain that he was feeling… _He could see that Ichigo was trembling, but he didn't understand what it meant. He wanted to ask, really, but he was afraid of Ichigo's answer. Then the boy suddenly ran outside the room, much to his and everyone's surprise. And his heart sank.

Byakuya didn't know what to do and did the first thing that entered his mind. He ran after him. He ran after the boy like he was Byakuya's lifeline. He could feel his heart beating fast and knew that it would definitely stop, leaving him dead, if Ichigo ever leave him like that. _He must catch up to Ichigo and find him… _He ran and ran and ran and continued running until he couldn't run anymore.

He could feel his limbs shaking from so much fatigue and his whole body was trembling from an emotion he was barely controlling. _Ichigo ran away from him…_

"Ichigo!" He shouted in frustration. His mind was begging, pleading, for the boy to come back. _"Ichigo, where are you..? Please don't run away… Please… Don't leave… Don't leave me…" _It was ironic when he was the one begging using those lines when he was the one who was about to leave. But it didn't matter. Ichigo was all that mattered to him.

He saw the other students in the pathway stared at him and his disheveled self but, for the first time in his life, he didn't care. As long as someone, anyone, could tell him where Ichigo went, he would thank that person for the rest of his life. _But no one did._ All they did was stare at him like he was some kind of show. It hurt when he realized that they were just as selfish as he was. _Or maybe they didn't know what was going on… Or maybe they had gone immobile from the shock of seeing him so lost for the first time… Or maybe that's their way of revenge, to make him miserable because he made their lives miserable too… Or maybe all of those reasons were true…_

He knelt on the ground as he felt his tears threatening to flow from his eyes. He felt like he was choking and his vision was going blank from the pain in his heart. He wanted so much to just fuck it all and cry with all his heart. He had never seen that boy with so much pain in his eyes. He didn't know how to react and before he knew it, Ichigo had already slipped away from his grasp.

_He loved Ichigo… He loved Ichigo so much… He just realized that trying to mend his heart was futile when it wanted to be forever broken for the sake of keeping the precious feeling inside… _

_And Ichigo was nowhere to be seen… _He wanted to run after the boy even if his whole body crashed afterwards, but he had no idea where to go… _He had nowhere to go…_

.

"Kuchiki?" Byakuya looked up from his tea, not realizing his hands were shaking a bit, and saw Kyouraku giving him _the look. _The older man had the knack of knowing if Byakuya was still with them or if he reverted back to the man he had become after he left.

He didn't forget Ichigo. But he had become more withdrawn and colder, if that was even possible. Some of his students went to confess to him too, but his ruthless way of rejecting them was none too easy to forget. _In a way, he was blaming Ichigo for making him feel that way… but he couldn't help it. _Just like how the many other females couldn't help but in love with him, he couldn't help but continue to hope that someday, he would see Ichigo again. _He wished to see Ichigo again… even if only to break his heart more…_

He simply shook his head to imply that it was nothing, but Kyouraku arched an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"Are you still thinking of the person you loved?" He asked, and Byakuya stopped and stared at his tea. They didn't know anything, really, but Kyouraku was just too observant and keen in everything that he immediately figured out Byakuya loved someone he couldn't have no matter how much he wanted.

Kyouraku was even smart enough to guess that the person Byakuya loved was also musically inclined, and was even playing the piano. "I know you might have remembered her because of the piano concerto thing, but I didn't mean for you to sulk."

"This person, this woman, I think it's already far too long… to love her still." Ukitake asked, a little concerned.

"It doesn't matter if it's too long… It will never be long enough." Byakuya answered simply, not looking at any of them. He knew that his voice was steady, cold even, but there was a certain pain and longing hidden beneath the coldness that he couldn't conceal no matter what.

"You might remember her more and be in more pain if you go to the concert." Kaien voiced his comment, but Byakuya glared at him.

"That annoying pianist's concert has nothing to do with the person I like. I hate that man's guts, making us number two for two years in a row." He spat out coldly and his other companions couldn't help but chuckle. Byakuya hated losing.

"You mean you don't want to go, Kuchiki-san?" Hisagi was the one who asked. Though they had different ages, they still treated one another as equals.

"No, I don't think I want to watch that rival of ours who keep on stealing our fame." He muttered darkly. He didn't know what people saw in that musician. He had never listened, really, to any of the bastard's music but he knew Byakurai was a group with much more fans. His pride wouldn't allow him to just watch the concert and act like he liked the pianist.

"There's a saying that if you want to know you enemies' weakness, you have to know them first." Kaien smirked. "I'll go."

"If Kaien is going, then I'll be going too." Hisagi simply said. The three older men looked at the two younger ones and they just realized that there might be more couple in their group than one. _Fine, that meant that Byakuya would be out of place once those two started going out of the closet._

"Fine." Byakuya sighed. He didn't want to look too beaten by that so-called number one. He would personally watch this pathetic concert just to let the bastard know that Byakurai was a group much more appealing and greater than he was. And besides, he didn't have anything to do tonight anyway, except composing.

The coliseum was already nearly full when they arrived. Luckily, Kyouraku bought tickets two weeks earlier. _It meant that he planned it all and he just told them earlier. _They sat in the front row and waited until the red curtain rolled up, revealing a marvelous grand piano._ Byakuya wasn't that fond of the piano at first but when he learned that the person he loved liked it, he started having interest in it too…_

After a while, loud cheers and grand applause erupted from the whole coliseum when the pianist entered the stage from the back. He waved at everyone as he smiled, making Byakuya's eyes wide and his heart skip a beat. It was all he could not to stand up and look like an idiot in front of everyone.

_It was him… Oh God, it was him…_

"Ichigo…" He mumbled to himself, not realizing it was loud enough for his companions to hear. They all looked at him in surprise when they saw the shocked expression on his face. _He rarely had any expression in front of them except indifference and seriousness._

"Kuchiki-san, are you okay?" Ukitake asked, a little worried at Byakuya's shocked expression.

"Do you know that guy? Ichigo Kurosaki, I mean." Kyouraku asked as well. Even if he was smart enough, there was no way he would assume that Ichigo was the one Byakuya loved. After all, for three years they believed that the person Byakuya loved was a woman. The raven didn't ever bother correcting them because he thought it was troublesome and annoying.

But before Byakuya could react to their question, or even acknowledge them, the orange-haired young man already sat on the stool. He started playing classical music first, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel… Actually, many of the pieces he played were supposed to be played slowly, and yet he was playing them in a tempo over one hundred. That was preposterous if other pianists tried it, but he made it fit and looked like it was meant to be played like that. _Ichigo looked gorgeous… and his playing was just too great…_

He looked so serene with his eyes closed and his luscious lips parted slightly. _And he was making his own music… so free and uncontrolled, so poised and beautiful…_

Byakuya heard Kyouraku and Ukitake sighed beside him. _They were too absorbed and awed. _The pieces were too romantic if played slowly but it was just right when he played it. And yet for him it felt like every key was piercing his heart. It felt too hot and he wanted to get away… But if he did, he might never have any chance to see him again. _Ichigo… He hadn't realized he never really heard Ichigo play the piano before…_

'Canon' started playing, but it had a very fast tempo that Byakuya didn't know how the hell Ichigo was able to follow the keys.

"He's great…" Hisagi simply said.

"Yeah…" Kaien answered.

Then it went quiet, and Byakuya heard the music that he thought he would never hear again. 'Ave Maria,' in piano. _He never played it anymore after that night in the classroom because it brought back so many memories… _Then he switched tempo again. It felt like he was playing with the music, except he wore a very pained expression. Byakuya knew that face. _Ichigo was in pain…_

The concert ended and Byakuya wanted to do nothing but to jump on the stage just to talk to him. He didn't know what to do now that it was over. He wanted to see Ichigo more, wanted to talk to him, just to chat about his life as a pianist… _He wanted to know if Ichigo still remembered him, the professor whom he once asked for dinner jokingly… the professor who played the violin for him… the professor who ran after him when he ran out of the room that fateful day…_

_He wanted to know more about Ichigo…_

He realized he was too shocked that he couldn't move. It was hard to stand up, and even then he realized it was harder to walk. He was suddenly too nervous to move, to nervous to talk, to nervous to approach the boy, if he ever had the chance. Ichigo was just on the stage, bowing to the people who were clapping their hands and cheering for him, and yet he felt so far away from the raven's grasp. Byakuya was on the audience's side, on the dark side of the coliseum, while Ichigo was on the spotlight, on the light of the stage. Byakuya was, just like any other person in the coliseum, a fan.

_He was just one of the fans now… And if he ever talked to Ichigo, it might just be the conversation between an idol and a fan…_

"Do you want to go and talk to him?" Kyouraku asked knowingly. _Byakuya had the feeling Kyouraku already found out that the person he loved was male… _He didn't answer but the older man already knew what his answer was. He felt that he somehow had no right to talk to Ichigo anymore. But that didn't stop him from wanting to. _Even just as a simple fan… _

He remembered the time when he let Ichigo hear him play. The boy clapped his hands at the raven as if Byakuya was the most exemplary violinist that ever lived. Ichigo grinned for him and complimented him like he was the most special person in the world. _And now, their roles were reversed. _

He saw Ichigo exited to the backstage and the people started their excited chatting while preparing to exit. Byakuya and the others decided to go to the backstage and Kyouraku showed one of the guards his ID. Kyouraku was given permission to enter together with the others.

All the while, Byakuya could feel his nervousness clamber up. He could feel the dread as he walked silently on the empty hallway behind the stage. He could even feel his forehead sweat coldly.

Byakuya realized that Kyouraku seemed to be more than just an ordinary audience. And as if reading his mind, Kyouraku answered him. "I know the pianist's uncle Kenpachi, his only living relative. That guy is a friend of mine. And so I got the tickets. And I also have a free interview with Ichigo." He smiled.

Byakuya felt his eyebrow twitched. _Kyouraku dared call Ichigo by his name without any honorifics. Did that mean that they were close? Cause if they weren't, he'd strangle this man._

"So, how do you know him, Ichigo Kurosaki I mean?" Kaien asked Byakuya curiously, snapping Byakuya out of his thoughts. The younger male regretted that he asked when Byakuya's mood turned dark. It was not the kind of dark that would make them want to cower in fear. It was the type of dark that would make them want to console him from the pain. In the end, Byakuya didn't answer and his Byakurai co-members left it at that, though somehow they already had an idea about it. Byakuya rarely showed emotions and if he ever did, it somehow always concerned the person he loved. _And that was the only answer they could assume now._

Nobody talked anymore until they reached Ichigo's dressing room. Ukitake gently knocked. A goon, in Byakuya's term, appeared and looked at them with squinted eyes, as if scrutinizing their motives, until he saw Kyouraku. He grinned creepily, opened the door wider, and let them in.

"Ichigo, you have guests." He called from over his shoulder.

Byakuya watched as the boy, now a handsome young man, _a very sexy and seductive handsome young man at that, _approached them wearing his black pants but only had unbuttoned white long sleeves for a top, showing his tanned chest and abdomen. His sleeves were curled neatly up to his elbow and his necktie was still in a knot on his collar but it was loose, making him all the sexier. His spiky locks were a bit disheveled, making any fan drool uncontrollably. They all gulped while preventing themselves from drooling over the young man who seemed oblivious of the lustful gazes, much to Byakuya's annoyance. _He could understand himself drooling, but did his companion have to lust at the young man too? They already had their own lovers!_

"Can I help you?" Ichigo asked with a smile. Byakuya noticed that his hair had gotten longer and his demeanor had gotten manlier too, he was taller and more muscular, and he had this mature air about him now. But Ichigo was still lean and sun-kissed, his orange hair had never changed color, and his eyes remained those expressive brown orbs that Byakuya liked so much. _This was Ichigo now, and Byakuya found out he still loved the younger man so much. Everything, the feelings of longing, the days without sleep just thinking of him… The years of wishing he could see Ichigo in some street in Soul Society… The years and years of longing and suffering just to keep his dying heart intact… _

_And he missed him…_

"Uh, this man wants to talk to you." Kyouraku immediately pointed at Byakuya, much to the latter's shock and horror. _He wasn't ready yet and the bastard already pointed at him!_

He watched in dread as Ichigo's attention turned to him for a while before recognition kicked in. They all saw how Ichigo's eyes widened. He visibly gulped and seemed to have lost his ability to speak as he stared at Byakuya with wide eyes. The atmosphere was too tensed and thick that they could actually touch it.

"Kurosaki, can we enter?" Byakuya asked calmly, trying to prevent his heart from jumping out of his chest and snuggling the pianist. _Actually, if they were alone, he didn't know what he would have done… _He could tell that everyone of their companion was watching the two of them with quiet curiosity.

"Ah, s-sure, Sensei." Ichigo answered as he immediately stepped aside to let them in.

.

.tbc.

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**Ren-sama's Note:**

**The next chapter will be the last! I really thought I could make this story a one-shot. But I guess I was wrong… Anyway, please review! ˆoˆ**

**P.S.**

**Please support and read my next Bleach fan fiction, entitled "Sunset in Heaven." The first chapter was already uploaded. **

**Very, very short Summary: Ichigo died at the young age of nine. Surviving in Rukongai is bad enough, but to think that afterlife isn't the heaven that he dreamed of…**

**It'a a ByaIchi fict again! ˆoˆ**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ren-sama's Note: PLEASE READ**

**This one is a third POV since it was a bit hard to do the ending with a first or second person POV. I hope it's not that bad though.**

**I will warn you ahead of time that this might be a little sappy for some of you. I don't know. Confessing is almost always sappy. I tried my hardest not to make it that sappy, but I don't know if I did a good job.**

**Please enjoy! ˆoˆ**

**.**

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**Chapter 3**

Byakuya could feel the stares from behind him, silently asking for an explanation about the Sensei thing. They didn't know he was a teacher. He was not the type to tell his story. After all, it had been six years since then.

When they were all seated, Kyouraku and Kenpachi started the conversation and the initial tensed atmosphere slowly vanished. They talked about how Ichigo started his career. It was almost like an ordinary interview, except that every member of Byakurai listened greatly as they started to learn how Ichigo managed to climb up to where he was now.

The teen never finished school in Seireitei University. He received a scholarship from a multinational recording company, the Urahara Company, and was given the chance to study abroad. That was where he started his career as a pianist. The company that backed him up was famous, but it was thanks to his innate talent and hard work that he succeeded in the long run. When he came back to the country two years ago, he was already famous in other countries and already had a fan base here. It overwhelmed him at first because he was still new, but with the help of the company and his uncle, he was able to gain more self confidence and accept the sudden prominence that his name had gone through in just a short time.

In the same token, Kyouraku talked about Byakurai. He was, after all, its original founder and also leader. He talked of their hardships as a group that had always countered every norm and tradition of music. It was hard to be accepted by people at first, but because they were all talented and persevering, they were all able to get through the hardships and rejections. They were now number two in the country in the top list in terms of prominence in the music industry. And though they were initially annoyed at the fact that they couldn't outdo the number one, they were very much satisfied now. They had seen with their own eyes what Ichigo was capable of, and they wouldn't let Ichigo go unscathed if the orange-haired man actually loses his position now. _In a way, Byakurai had also become his fan._

Ichigo was just too happy to know that. He was greatly nervous when he saw Byakuya earlier, especially when he learned that his former sensei was actually his rival now. He had matured though, and he knew how to be professional when it was needed. He knew that he wouldn't let Byakurai outdo him just because Byakuya was there. _He would remain number one._

Byakuya could see how his former student had changed. Ichigo, back in the university, couldn't look at him in the eye. It was now the opposite. Ichigo could now hold his gaze until Byakuya was forced to turn away, though subtly. He still had his pride left.

"So, how did you and our member Byakuya-san met?" Kyouraku asked the most anticipated question, not just by the party involved but also by the others.

Ichigo chuckled. "He was my professor in Seireitei University before he was promoted and I was given a scholarship." Ichigo remembered that. He was so broken after Byakuya's departure that he let himself get lost in music. He was musically inclined, but he was not the type to perform in front of so many people. That was the time he let all his attention turn to music. He was so glad that his friends supported him, though they were a bit saddened by his own departure abroad. They never let him get a day off and continued to call or text or e-mail him when he left. And even after all these years, even when they had all found their own lives and were practically busy all the time, they still met from time to time and hang out, though not much in public places because many of them were famous personalities too.

"So he was your teacher in the university?" Ukitake asked for clarification. Ichigo nodded before he smiled warmly at the white-haired man. "Somehow I can't imagine him teaching…" Kyouraku laughed at that.

"He's a very good professor." Ichigo smiled and nodded again, as if to make his assertion more valid. He looked at his sensei again, happy to see the man he loved just across the couch inside the room. _He never thought he'd see Byakuya again… _And now that Ichigo remember it, he immediately told Byakuya about some of the man's students.

Renji had become a rock star and Ikkaku had become famous with his band. Both of them were very well liked by youths and many fan bases were formed because of them. Rukia, everyone were too surprised, became a fashion photographer. She had never mentioned that she liked it until Renji gave her a camera in their engagement three years ago. Orihime had become an actress, though if she was a comedian by heart or just an utter and innocent dickhead, no one knew. Uryuu, by far, was the one with the most shocking and yet not so shocking work. He had always made it clear that he disliked being a doctor. He had always hated his father for forcing him to become one. That utter rejection led to the guy being a music major in the first place. And yet, despite the revulsion, he still agreed to inherit the hospital when his father had died. It seemed he never really hated being a doctor after all. He just hated it that his father never had any time for him because of it.

All in all, Ichigo had a small circle of friends. And he was glad that Byakuya seemed to have listened all throughout.

Soon, everyone was having a lively conversation. They mostly talked about music and also the different personalities that had sprouted one by one, some had real talents and some only wanted popularity. Byakuya was still a quiet man by nature and only talked when necessary, or if he wanted to make a cold or harsh comment about something. Kyouraku was much too talkative, and when combined with Kenpachi, no one would have to talk at all. Kaien and Shuuhei conversed with Ichigo more and the orange-haired man answered with mixed politeness and humility.

Byakuya and Ichigo talked to one another once in a while but their topics were almost always about music. They never talked about their personal lives. It was still too soon.

Ichigo found Byakurai's company very warm and friendly. They didn't make him feel that he was an outsider in their group. They talked to him as if he was a part of it. _And it was heartwarming. _Kyouraku and Ukitake were very kind and knowledgeable, as we all Kaien and Shuuhei, though they were teasers and acted brasher than the older two. Even Byakuya, he found out, had changed. The man was still very much aloof and stoic but he was not that cold anymore. Any comment that he gave didn't have much venom or even hostility. It was a comment for the sake of making one.

And Ichigo couldn't help but smile. It seemed Byakuya had found the people that were best suited for his personality.

Byakuya saw how Ichigo had matured. The Ichigo he knew was quiet and reserved, and generally shy, what with all the blushing he used to have when talking to the raven. The Ichigo then held so much innocence and childlike air that was so normal of university students. But now, Ichigo looked so professional, except for his clothes which he didn't even bother addressing. The Ichigo now knew how to talk to people he barely knew and converse in a very professional and yet warm way. His eyes were not of pure innocence anymore. It spoke of various experience and also knowledge. _He had truly become a man._

The group had continued their chat without minding the time at all. And they all knew that they hadn't had much relaxing time as that.

~growl, growl~

"…" All quieted down when they heard the sound. No one talked. They all looked at Ichigo, who looked at somewhere else, visibly blushing. The orange-haired pianist didn't eat anything before the concert and it was almost midnight now.

Byakuya smirked knowingly, feeling a little nostalgic. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "How about some dinner, Kurosaki?" Everyone, except the pianist himself, eyed him suspiciously. _Was Byakuya Kuchiki actually flirting?_

Ichigo subtly blushed, remembering a similar line that he once said a long time ago, before he recovered. "A-Are you serious?" He could recall the conversation they had back then. He was sure the next line would be that it was a joke. _It was just to relieve him from the embarrassment._

"Of course. Why do you think I asked?" Byakuya turned serous again. But everyone could tell that he was amused. "I am not like some student of mine back then who often make the suggestion and then turning it into a joke."

Ichigo felt himself blush again, not subtly this time. After all, even if it was already a long, long time ago, the feelings that he once had were still there, subtly eating his heart away. "Then, by all means… I agree."

"Then…" Kyouraku wanted to say that he and the others would come as well just to tease Byakuya, but stopped when he saw the raven's glare. "Then we will be going home now." He smiled knowingly, much to the raven's annoyance and Ukitake's amusement. Kenpachi watched the exchange between different parties and was now sure of the facts.

"You're not coming?" Ichigo asked, eyeing every last one of them, not realizing Byakuya had already given his death glare as a warning to anyone who would dare come with them.

"No, Shuuhei and I have a **date** of our own too." Kaien grinned when he felt Byakuya's murderous glare. Shuuhei laughed at his lover's teasing. It was way too fun for them to tease Byakuya after all. The man, despite appearing so calm and organize, always fell prey to their taunts and was surprisingly easy to provoke.

"Date..? Oh." Ichigo didn't seem to notice that Kaien just told him that what he and Byakuya were about to do could be considered a date as well. The only thing that remained in his mind was that Kaien and Hisagi were lovers.

After some goodbyes and exchanging of contact numbers for professional purposes, everyone already left.

Ichigo had a car but they used Byakuya's since he was the one who asked for dinner anyway. The way to the restaurant they chose was silent, with only soft music as their background.

Byakuya, while driving, looked sideways once in a while. He could see that Ichigo was tired, which made him a little guilty for asking dinner so suddenly. "Are you tired?" _He didn't know he sucked this much in initiating a conversation. Of course Ichigo was tired. Damn._

Ichigo looked at him and smiled. "A little." He chuckled. "I had a concert in another country the other night. I just came back to Seireitei this morning."

"It must be hard being number one." Byakuya said seriously, not looking at Ichigo anymore but at the road ahead. "You can give the title to us Byakurai, you know."

Ichigo blinked twice before he realized Byakuya was attempting to make a joke. Only, it failed because the tone and expression that the older man had was quite the opposite of trying to humor someone. The younger male laughed nonetheless. "Thanks, but no thanks."

The corner of Byakuya's lips twitched at that. It was almost as if he was smiling.

They arrived at a 24-hour restaurant and chose to sit at the very back, where they could have their privacy. After all, fans would get crazy if they saw the rivals having dinner together and acting like friends, almost. They ordered the same thing, which made Byakuya arch eyebrow. Ichigo simply shrugged and placed his order. They waited in silence, not knowing how to converse without anything getting awkward, until their order arrived.

Ichigo watched Byakuya ate. The man was, as always, graceful in everything he did. He remembered the days when Byakuya was his teacher. The man was totally elegant in teaching and graceful in moving and walking. It was like the raven was a noble, if only for lack of better comparison. _It was quite nice to see that the man he loved, and would probably continue to love, didn't change much. _

The orange-haired pianist had long accepted the fact that he would probably never love somebody else. He tried so hard to forget, even to the point of having relationships here and there in other countries, gender didn't matter, but it was to no avail. All he could think of every time he kissed someone was Byakuya. All he wished every time he hugged someone was that it was Byakuya he was hugging instead. He knew it was unfair to his lovers, and that it was hurting them, so he went one after another after he learned that the person couldn't make him forget. They all knew he loved someone else, but the guilt was still suffocating him. And in the end, he gave up having any relationship with anyone at all. _And he felt more at peace…_

_Even just as a friend…_ If he could be Byakuya's friend, then he wouldn't wish of anything else. He would be satisfied. _And right now, he was satisfied._

Byakuya could see that Ichigo was comfortable and he couldn't help but sigh in relief. He was afraid that the younger male would be too uncomfortable. After all, the raven was not the best of company to have.

"Is the food to your taste?" He asked. Ichigo looked up and nodded.

"Yeah, it's nice." He smiled. "The restaurant is nice too, cozy despite being small."

Byakuya nodded in understanding. And then he remembered something. _He just had to ask, right? _Byakuya prepared himself mentally. "Ichigo, are you free on Saturday?"

Ichigo blinked. He refused to think of any underlying meaning to that question. "Uh, yeah, I guess I'm free. Why?"

Byakuya closed his eyes, appearing serious and cold, but Ichigo could see that the older man was nervous. How he knew it, he didn't know. He just knew. "Byakurai will be having a performance on Karakura Stadium. Can you come?"

The pianist thought about it for a while, which made Byakuya nervous even more. Ichigo thought if he had some rehearsals or anything scheduled at that whole day, but he found out that he had nothing. "Okay, I'm free the whole day anyway."

Byakuya smiled a tad when relief came flooding inside him. "I'll expect you there then." Ichigo nodded. "Anyway, do you have anything to do after this?" Ichigo arched an eyebrow at him, something the raven wasn't aware the pianist was capable of.

Of course, that was the expected reaction. It was almost 1 in the morning and then Byakuya was asking him if he had something to do? _Sleep, don't you think? _Ichigo had to laugh when Byakuya immediately thought of that too, and before the raven could take his words back, Ichigo already answered. "No, I guess. Unless you include sleeping in something to do, I'm pretty much free."

BYakuya bit the inside of his lower lip. _Of course… Sleeping. _Ichigo needed that. Was he losing his rationality now just because he was talking to Ichigo? _For him to ask such a question._

"Is there some place you wish to go?" Ichigo asked.

The raven wished he could just take his words back. Ichigo looked tired, though he was hiding it. The pianist was looking expectant at him though and he knew he wouldn't be able to deny that question. _Those charming chocolate eyes were more effective than any puppy eyes he ever saw. _He sighed again. "Yes, I want to go somewhere. Would you mind coming with me?"

Ichigo nodded slowly, still looking at him meaningfully. "You've been sighing a lot ever since earlier, Sensei. Are you tired?"

_Asked the man who had just performed multiple compositions in a coliseum! _Byakuya almost rolled his eyes. "I'm not your sensei anymore, so you can call me by my name now."

Ichigo's expression lightened. "So, Byakuya. Where would we go?"

The raven felt his eyebrow arched at that. "And who said you can call me by my first name?"

Ichigo simply smiled and shrugged. "You did. You even asked for it."

The raven chose not to ride on the banter. "Well, there's this place I want to go. There's no need for you to know… yet."

After their meal, the two drove into a park and took a stroll in the deserted area. It was almost 2 in the morning and no one would be sane enough to take a night stroll in a possibly dangerous place, except the two famous personalities who wanted some quiet time.

Ichigo walked to the balcony overlooking the entire city. Tiny lights coming from houses and establishments decorated the darkness of the night. It was a cloudless sky and there were stars here and there. But the most stunning sight was the crescent moon hanging at the sky. Ichigo liked crescent moons better than full moons. The cold night breeze caressed his face nicely, making him feel more relaxed. It was a tiring day and he was glad that Byakuya brought him to this place.

What Byakuya really wanted was for Ichigo to relax a little. He didn't know if this place was able to exhibit such response to the younger man but it made Byakuya more relaxed every time he went here during this hour. It was nice to help the pianist unwind even for just a little while.

The raven used to go here alone, thinking of work, of anything to compose, or of Ichigo. _And now… the younger man was here together with him._ And he felt as if his heart would quietly burst out of happiness. _It was enough… he wished for their relationship to be this way for a long time now… _They weren't lovers, yes, but they weren't mere student and teacher too. _Maybe they could be friends..? _He knew he was not someone to clamor for affection or friendship from anybody. _But Ichigo was different. _If it meant getting closer to Ichigo, then he wouldn't mind changing his old ways a little.

He watched Ichigo quietly. The younger man was beautiful under the moonlight. Ichigo's hair looked softer under the dim light of the moon and the raven had the unexplainable urge to run his fingers over it. He was not a kid anymore. He was not the type to fidget, stutter, or even faint from close proximity with the person he liked, not that he ever experienced those things. And yet, he felt like he wanted to jump or sit, or fidget, anything really, because he was too restless being alone here in the darkness with the younger man. He appeared calm on the outside but he was too restless inside. _Ichigo was too close, way too close…_

Ichigo fought back a blush when their shoulder brushed against one another. He wanted to make this night memorable, and he didn't want his emotions to get ahead of him and make him forget everything except the scent of the man beside him, too close beside him.

"Do you always go here?" He asked as he tried to keep himself calm.

Byakuya looked at him. "Yes."

"To unwind?" Ichigo guessed.

"Yes, and also to think." Byakuya answered as he looked at the city again. "The scenery makes my mind calmer and it makes me focus on things that I have to think about or do."

Ichigo nodded. He wanted to ask about those 'things' that Byakuya thought of, but he refrained. _Was Byakuya still thinking of his wife? _He knew he wouldn't be able to take that with a smile.

"You look like you want to know what those things are. The things that I think of." Byakuya said after a while, still looking at the scenery, making Ichigo's eyes widen a little as he looked at the raven. "I think of composing new music here. The quietness and serenity of the surrounding gives me the inspiration to compose. Sometimes I unwind, and not think of anything at all. And most of the times, I think of someone." The raven didn't know why he was telling it to Ichigo, but he knew that it would help himself cope up with his ridiculously painful situation. _He loved Ichigo so much… and he was barely holding himself back from telling the other man…_

Ichigo looked down. _So it's his wife._

"I was supposed to be the one to leave. But that person left me first." Byakuya said as he closed his eyes. _Ichigo ran away from him that time…_ He now wondered if the orange-haired man would do it again. _It would be doubly heartbreaking if he did…_

"You wanted to leave her?" Ichigo looked at Byakuya again. _He didn't know that. _"Why? Everyone thinks that she was the one who left you."

Byakuya looked at Ichigo with furrowed eyebrows for a while before it occurred to him that the younger man thought he was talking about his wife. "No, I wasn't talking about my wife. I'm talking about someone else." He inhaled the night air, inhaling Ichigo's scent in the process. _Ichigo smelled so good… _"I love someone else. I have loved that person for six years now. It was exhausting not having my feelings returned. But I don't mind. I can live like this."

Ichigo didn't know if he would feel more brokenhearted for himself or for Byakuya. He thought that the raven still loved his wife deeply, and now that he learned that Byakuya loved someone else, it was even more painful… And yet, the fact that Byakuya was suffering because of that love was unbearable. _It was more painful than any heartbreak Byakuya could give him… If only the one Byakua loved was him, he'd make sure that Byakuya wouldn't feel like that…_

"Does that person know that you still love him even after your breakup?" Ichigo asked again.

Byakuya had to sigh again. It seemed the younger man had a knack for misunderstanding things. "He doesn't even know of my feelings, idiot." And then he stopped when he realized what he had just called Ichigo. "I mean…"

Ichigo laughed at him. "It's alright. I'm sure you didn't mean that." Then his face turned more serious. "I think you should tell him, Byakuya, about how you feel I mean." He looked at Byakuya with sad eyes. "It's suffocating and painful to live like that."

Byakuya snorted, something he learned to do because of his constant exposure to Kyouraku's madness. "Telling him will destroy the meager relationship we have. I don't want to lose–"

"Him?" Ichigo suddenly blurted, eyes widening. He didn't think Byakuya was the type to fall for the same sex.

Byakuya immediately went on defensive mode. "Yes, any problem with that?"

"No. I was just surprised." Ichigo answered truthfully before he scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, if you don't want to tell him, then there's no way he will be sensitive enough around you. He might hurt you unconsciously… and before you know it, he will be leaving you–" And he stopped. _He just realized he was not talking about Byakuya anymore. He was now talking about himself… _

Byakuya saw the pain etched on Ichigo's expression and immediately patted him on the shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asked coolly.

Ichigo chuckled, though Byakuya could feel that it was pained. "I thought I grew up. I thought I got over things. I was wrong it seems…" He then stretched and looked at Byakuya again, though this time the raven knew that Ichigo looked more pained than earlier. "I think I better go home, Byakuya. It's getting late."

Byakuya felt utterly surprised. He felt like he was just rejected… _again. _Ichigo pretended to stretch as he walked away, leaving the raven staring at him. _He thought they had a relationship… even if it was meager. But it seemed he was wrong… Ichigo was walking away from him again, leaving him vulnerable and hurting again…_

"Ichigo…" He found himself voicing as he started walking towards the younger man. _It wasn't fair… It wasn't fair that Ichigo could just walk or run away from him and he couldn't do anything about it. _The pianist said that if he didn't want to be treated so insensitively, all he had to do was _that, _right? _There was no relationship to protect after all…_

Ichigo stopped. _Did he hear right? _Byakuya's voice sounded so pained it made his heart ache. He bit his lower lip as he cursed inwardly. _He was too selfish… Byakuya was hurting and yet all he wanted to do was run away again… _He clenched his fists before he turned around, only to step back when he found out that Byakuya was so close, too close in fact, and was standing in his personal space.

"Byakuya..?" He called when he saw that the older man looked like he was fighting with himself. His eyes were closed and his expression was pained. _It was heartbreaking to look at… _In the end, he wasn't able to stop himself. He touched Byakuya's cheek with his right hand and when the man opened his eyes in surprise, Ichigo smiled at him. "I think you should tell him after all." And then he let his hand fall.

_This was it. _He just told Byakuya to confess to someone. He knew it would kill him, but Byakuya was more important. _It he could see Byakuya happy at the least, then surviving would be less painful._

"I plan to tell him." Byakuya stepped forward. "Can you help me, Ichigo?"

_This was painful. _"O-Of course…" Ichigo tried to smile, but it was weak. _It seemed, if the guy returned Byakuya's feelings, Ichigo wouldn't be able to congratulate the two for a while…_

He was surprised when Byakuya suddenly walked away from him, heading straight to his car. _What? Was he leaving? _Ichigo immediately walked after Byakuya. He didn't want to be left alone in this deserted place in the middle of the night where there was almost no taxi available. But he stopped when Byakuya returned.

"What–?" He looked at Byakuya before he looked at the violin case he was holding._ Was he planning to play? _Byakuya walked passed him and went to the balcony overlooking the city. The older man sat on the railing, feet dangling and facing Ichigo. He opened the case and brought out his violin.

Ichigo walked over to him. "Are you going to practice?"

Byakuya looked at him seriously before the raven shook his head. "I'm here to confess."

Ichigo blinked at him, not really understanding what he meant. "What… do you mean?"

Byakuya didn't answer. He placed his violin over his left shoulder as he held the bow with his right hand gracefully. "I composed this piece. It holds everything, my feelings… my longing… my suffering… my desire… and my wish… I want you to hear it, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes widened at that. And Byakuya started playing.

It was a very sad music… _It made Ichigo's heart ache even more. _Byakuya's eyes were closed and he wore a very pained expression. When he opened them again, he looked at Ichigo's chocolate orbs. His steel gray orbs were full of so much love and longing, and Ichigo didn't know if he would cry or feel awe. Byakuya looked like he was suffering and crying, even though he was merely playing the piece. _It was too sad… It was just too sad…_

Byakuya gritted his teeth when he struck the finale. "Don't run away from me anymore… Ichigo…" _It hurt so much to be left alone…_

Ichigo closed his eyes. He could take it no more. He heard himself whimper as he felt the tears flowed down his flushed cheeks. _Byakuya loved him… Byakuya was hurting because of him… And he didn't even know it… _He wanted to apologize, to tell Byakuya that he didn't have to be hurt anymore, to tell the raven that he loved him too… And yet, his throat felt hoarse and dry. And he felt as if there's a huge lump in it. He could only sob silently as Byakuya finished his piece. _It was beautiful… but it was sad… _

Byakuya watched silently as Ichigo sobbed. The younger man's shoulders were trembling and he was looking down. "Ichigo… you can scorn me, or laugh at me, or even feel disgust… But don't cry… Don't cry and feel sorry for my feelings…"

Ichigo immediately looked up despite the tears on his cheeks. "N-No! I… I am… I didn't realize… I didn't know of it… your feelings…" He wiped his tears with his hand, but Byakuya was quick to give him a hanky. He smiled. "Thanks. What's the title of the piece?"

"Here to Stay." Byakuya answered as he looked at Ichigo's chocolate orbs directly. "Ichigo, don't run away from me. I don't mind even if you don't return my feelings. Just… don't run away."

Ichigo shook his head as he continued to wipe his face with the hanky that had Byakuya's perfume. "Don't worry, I won't." And he chuckled. "Because I can't. There's no reason for me to run away now. Maybe I should do that piece in the piano too, just so you can hear my feelings as well. I can copy it just from hearing it once, you know. I'm the number one pianist in this country after all."

"Plagiarism is a crime, Ichigo. That piece is mine." Byakuya said in amusement as he raise his hand tentatively, obviously attempting to wipe more of Ichigo's tears, but was too shy to do it.

Ichigo noticed it and chuckled again as he walked over and shyly hugged the older man. Byakuya tensed for a second, obviously surprised and not used to being hugged so suddenly, before he relaxed. After a while, he hugged back.

The raven kissed Ichigo's hair before he whispered coolly. "I love you."

"Yeah, I know. You made that point quite clear earlier when you made me cry." Ichigo chuckled again.

"Arrogant brat." Byakuya said and the pianist chuckled again. Byakuya always uttered those words back in the university.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

It was Saturday. The stadium was filled with excited and screaming audiences, and Ichigo was so glad he was given a front row ticket. He was alone, but he was not lonely. After all, he had just watched Byakuya perform. It had been a long while.

The members of Byakurai were still sweating and worn-out from their last piece, but they all looked satisfied and happy. They performed a total of ten pieces, and it was enough to drive any fan insane. The others were waving their hands and throwing air kisses on the audience. But Byakuya, as usual, stood coolly in front of the crowd, holding his violin and having none of those cheesy expressions.

He could not see Ichigo from the audience because the lighting was dim, but he knew the latter was watching him right now. He wanted to smile too, to at least tell Ichigo he was happy to be able to perform for the orange-haired pianist. But he was a very private person. He wanted his smile to only be seen by Ichigo and no one else. _He could wait until later, much, much later…_

And thus…

"Are you tired?" Ichigo asked as he sipped his soda. They were currently in the restaurant that they went to last time. His chocolate eyes gazed at steel gray ones.

Byakuya was very attractive in his gray suit, more so with his shoulder-length hair in a ponytail. He didn't like his hair getting in the way when he played the violin in front of a huge crowd. He had a very elegant air around him, which made all the waitresses and waiters wary, though not in a negative way.

"Not really." He answered simply as he gazed at his younger lover.

Ichigo, on the other hand, wore simple casual clothing, black long sleeves with its sleeves rolled up the elbow. Three buttons starting from the top were unbuttoned but he wore a red scarf to at least slightly cover his tanned chest. Byakuya liked looking at him.

They were like this for a while now, not conversing and not uttering much word. From an outsider's point of view, it would look like they were in the place merely for casual purposes, for business even. No one would even think that the two were sometimes looking at each other in a not so decent way, subtly of course. Their attempts at conversation were merely a way of releasing some tensions brought upon by one another in their eye-quest of the other's body.

_No one would even think that they were flirting._

"You're handsome earlier, Byakuya. Especially when you play the violin..." Ichigo grinned shyly.

Byakuya arched an eyebrow at that, even though it was obviously a compliment. "Just earlier?" He asked in feigned annoyance and Ichigo chuckled.

"Sorry, sorry. My bad, Your Highness." He answered. "I mean, 'always'. You're handsome always." Byakuya smirked at that, looking smug, and Ichigo had to laugh again, though with much reserve because they were in a public place. They wouldn't want anyone recognizing them and then taking pictures of them together. _Not that _that_ would be an issue. _It's just that they liked their personal lives as private as they could make it, being famous figures and all.

Byakuya was about to say something when his eyes darted on someone who just occupied the table beside theirs. And his eyes widened. Ichigo saw this and followed his lover's gaze. Byakuya was looking at a woman with raven hair and eyes. She looked just like Rukia, but she had a different air about her.

The woman was with another man and a small boy. She looked happy, at least until she saw the two men on the table beside hers. And her eyes widened too when her gaze met Byakuya's.

"Hisana." Byakuya's voice turned at least ten times colder. But his eyes spoke differently. They were warm.

"Byakuya." The woman named Hisana looked like she wanted to just leave the place. Her husband, a man with wavy brunette hair and kind chocolate eyes, was looking in between them too. The small boy was too innocent to notice anything.

Ichigo looked at the woman more when Byakuya said the name. _So it was her…_

HIsana didn't know what to do at that moment. Her new husband knew everything, but that didn't make it any easier than it was. The last time she saw Byakuya was at the court when she filed for annulment. The man looked different somehow, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was. There was something warm in Byakuya's eyes now.

Her eyes widened even more when Byakuya nodded to her before he smiled a tad. "You look happy." And she found herself sighing in relief. _It seemed Byakuya had already forgiven her now…_

"You too, Byakuya." She answered before her eyes darted to the orange-haired male who looked really familiar. She knew she somehow saw him somewhere, but she just couldn't remember where or when.

Byakuya was happy. It was because right now, he could feel no resentment towards Hisana anymore. He was happy for her, and from the bottom of his heart too. It felt good to be able to be happy for her. _It was because he was happy with his own life now…_

"This is my husband, Sousuke." Hisana introduced the two males and Sousuke shook Byakuya's hand with a smile. "And this is our son, Gin." Byakuya looked at the small boy briefly before he nodded.

The raven turned to Ichigo before his eyes darted to Hisana again. "This is Ichigo Kurosaki, my friend."

Hisana saw it, even though it was brief. Byakuya's eyes softened at least ten times when they settled on Ichigo's figure. It was a little bizarre to watch. Her husband wasn't the type of person to just look at other people with soft eyes. _Unless… _Her eyes dawned in understanding when she saw how Ichigo responded to her ex-husband's silent way of communication. _It was endearing to watch… _The husband she had was cold and rigid. _This Byakuya that was in front of her now was full of life and warmth…_

Ichigo didn't mind the fact that he was introduced as a friend. He was much of a private person as Byakuya was. And the fact that both of them were in the music industry made things a little bit more difficult. Byakuya apologized to him silently anyway. He nodded to Hisana but he was a bit surprised to find her smiling sweetly at him.

"Ichigo-san," her soft voice uttered. "Thank you."

Ichigo blinked at that. But HIsana didn't need to elaborate. She was thankful that Ichigo was there for Byakuya. She was consumed with so much guilt all these years, and now that she knew Byakuya was with the person he truly loved and cherished, then everything would be fine.

Byakuya's eyebrow twitched. Somehow, he didn't like it that Hisana called _his _Ichigo so familiarly. "About the introduction, Hisana. I made a mistake." They all looked at him. "Ichigo is _my_ lover." Hisana laughed at that, not because she was making fun of homosexual lovers. It's just that she had never, _ever_ seen a jealous Byakuya before, even in the course of their two years of marriage. She knew that teasing the raven about it would be quite fun.

Dinner went well and the Aizen family left afterwards. Byakuya felt that somehow, there was a huge chunk of iron that was lifted off his heart. _It was freeing._ The two of them walked some distance from the restaurant, feeling the night breeze and the quietness of each other's heartbeat.

Ichigo knew that Byakuya felt happier. Maybe it was because the ordeal and bitterness with Hisana had been resolved at last. He felt happy for his lover. "Do you want to go at my place?"

Byakuya stopped in his tracks and looked at Ichigo from the sideways. "Your place?" He initially thought that the other man had some _plans_, but Ichigo's innocent expression made it clear that he didn't. The raven sighed. _It was just the second time that they went out together and Ichigo was way too trusting that he wouldn't do anything? _"Do you know what you're suggesting, Ichigo?"

The raven watched as Ichigo blinked, obviously not interpreting the question in _that _way, before the meaning sunk in and the younger man's chocolate orbs widened before blushed crept up on his cheeks. "Wha–What are you saying!? I was merely–, I just want to show you someth–"

Byakuya leaned closer and kissed him gently before he smirked. "I know. I was just teasing you." Ichigo unconsciously licked his lips when the brief kiss ended. Byakuya noticed this the first time too but didn't comment. _He liked watching that part of Ichigo too. _"Sure, I'll go. Now?" Ichigo nodded.

They went back to the restaurant garage and drove towards Ichigo's condo. Kenpachi lived in a different condo, having sold their former house. They went up through an elevator and walked in the unit silently.

Byakuya's gaze touched everything, from the living room to the futons and to the piano beside the wall. His gray orbs looked at Ichigo as the latter removed his scarf and raked his hair unconsciously. _Everything about Ichigo was endearing to watch… _And Byakuya liked watching him.

"You said you want to show me something?" He asked.

Ichigo chuckled. "Impatient, aren't we?" He disappeared into the kitchen. When the orange-haired pianist went back, he was already carrying a tray of tea. The two of them sat on the couch side by side and sipped it silently. "So, did you bring your violin?"

"You told me to." Byakuya's eyes turned to the violin case beside the doorway.

Ichigo smiled before he stood up and went to the piano stool. "Shall we?"

Byakuya didn't know what Ichigo meant at first, until the latter played the piano. The raven couldn't help but chuckle. "Didn't I tell you that that's plagiarism?"

Ichigo looked behind his shoulder and grinned. "But I have a copyright from the composer!" Byakuya shook his head in defeat before he took his violin.

Ichigo started again from the beginning and Byakuya played together with him. The sound was very beautiful. It wasn't sad and painful anymore like the first time Ichigo heard it. It wasn't a confession anymore. It was now about them, and they knew that their music was calling out to one another. It was very heartwarming and calming.

"Want to sleep here tonight?" Icihgo asked, playing magnificently as always.

"That will be perfect." Byakuya answered, eyes closed as he played in his violin, though his lips twitch into a small smile.

"I love you, Byakuya." Ichigo grinned as he played.

Byakuya snorted. It was starting to become a habit of his. "Your voice is not needed, Ichigo. I can hear your music just right." The pianist's grin widened at that. Byakuya kissed the other's grinning lips before he resumed his part in the music.

.

.END.

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**Ren-sama's Note:**

**Yep, this is the end, people! Thank you for supporting "Sensei's Confession"! I love you all! And I know this is the last chapter, but please tell me your feedback! Review please!**

**And yeah, that last song "Here to Stay" was a theme song of Bleach so I don't own it. I really love that theme song! T_T**

**And I was planning to do some lemons… but I don't think it'd be appropriate. I fear that it might make the ending a bit cliché. I don't want that.**

**And so, it ends. **


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